The Agenzia per l'Italia Digitale (AGID) recently unveiled its new three-year strategy for the digitization of public administrations, covering the period 2024-2026. This document, released in early 2024, introduces new guidelines to improve the interoperability of digital services and includes, for the first time, a detailed plan for the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI).
AGID, the body in charge of implementing Italy's digital agenda, is coordinating efforts among the various levels of public administration to achieve its goals. The new three-year plan is instrumental in defining the goals of digitization, guiding some 23,000 public bodies on their digital transformation journey. The drafting of this plan involved a wide range of stakeholders, including public agencies, universities, companies and trade associations.
One of the key elements of the plan is the continued promotion of open source as a pillar for the procurement and development of public digital services. The new guidelines not only encourage the adoption of open source, but also define strategies for code reuse and collaborative development.
The plan sets ambitious goals, such as increasing the number of administrations releasing open source software and those using it. By 2025, the goal is to have at least 125 administrations publishing open source software and 2,800 entities reusing it through the Developers Italia platform.
Mario Nobile, Director General of AGID, stressed the importance of open source in improving the efficiency and transparency of public administration, as well as preventing the risk of dependence on specific technology vendors. "Promoting the reuse of open source solutions not only improves the quality of public services, but also enables significant cost savings and the creation of collaborative communities among administrations," Nobile said.
Another major change in the plan is the emphasis on interoperability, inspired by the European Interoperability Framework. The document states that interoperability of digital services is to be improved through the use of open data and API integrations, supported by a national open source design system designed to improve accessibility.
For the first time, the plan includes a strategy for adopting artificial intelligence in government. The goal is to leverage AI to automate processes, improve data-driven decisions and deliver more personalized public services. AGID will publish specific guidelines for the procurement and development of AI solutions by the end of the year.
Nobile pointed out that some administrations are already using AI to improve their services, and stressed that adopting the open source model can facilitate the continued evolution of ICT solutions to meet the challenges posed by artificial intelligence. "This approach not only improves the management of public information resources, but also enhances the competitiveness of the Italian system," he added.
To respond to rapid technological changes, AGID has scheduled annual updates to the strategy, giving administrations the time and means to adapt. The first update is scheduled for September 2024.
In this context, Tirasa stands as an ideal partner for public administrations wishing to adopt open source solutions. With our experience and specialization in this area, we are ready to provide the right solutions to help administrations achieve their digitization goals, improving efficiency, transparency, and collaboration among public bodies.
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