Director Francesco Lapenta Delivers Keynotes at Next Generation AI Summit in Milan
Francesco Lapenta, Director of the JCU Institute of Future and Innovation Studies, was a keynote speaker at the Next Generation AI Summit 2025, organized by the Italian Ministry of Education. The summit, held from January 29 to February 3 at MiCo Centro Congressi in Milan, convened over 1,000 educators, administrators, and professionals from diverse fields to discuss the profound transformations AI is bringing to education and society.
The event was part of a broader initiative by the Ministry of Education to define a strategic vision for AI’s role in shaping future educational models. Bringing together leading experts from technology, academia, and policy, the summit underscored the urgency of preparing students and institutions for an AI-driven future while ensuring that ethical and human-centered principles guide this transition.
As part of this dialogue, Director Lapenta delivered two keynote addresses:
- The Future of AI in Education – Exploring the critical need to move beyond traditional curricula and develop new frameworks for skills, creativity, and adaptability in an era increasingly shaped by automation and intelligent systems. The talk emphasized the necessity of cultivating digital literacy, critical thinking, and ethical awareness to ensure that students are not only proficient in using AI but also capable of questioning and shaping its impact on their lives and careers. The keynote was attended by the Italian Minister of Public Education, highlighting the national significance of this discussion.
- Data, Open Data, and AI Integration in Education – Examining the role of structured data ecosystems in enhancing learning methodologies and fostering innovation. The keynote highlighted the potential of open data initiatives to create more transparent, equitable, and personalized educational experiences. At the same time, it addressed the challenges of governance, privacy, and data ethics, emphasizing the importance of designing AI-driven education systems that serve the public good.
The summit marked a significant step in the Ministry’s ongoing efforts to develop policies and frameworks that will guide AI’s responsible adoption in education. The discussions reinforced the importance of long-term strategies that balance technological advancement with the complexities of human learning, ethical responsibility, and societal impact.
