Embracing the digital transition: the adoption of cloud computing and AI by Italian firms

Lorenzo Bencivelli (), Sara Formai (), Elena Mattevi () and Tullia Padellini ()
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Lorenzo Bencivelli: Bank of Italy
Sara Formai: Bank of Italy
Elena Mattevi: Bank of Italy
Tullia Padellini: Bank of Italy

No 946, Questioni di Economia e Finanza (Occasional Papers) from Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area

Abstract: The diffusion of advanced digital technologies is reshaping the organization and performance of firms, yet comprehensive evidence on their adoption remains scarce. This paper draws on data from Banca d'Italia's business surveys to assess the uptake of cloud computing and artificial intelligence (AI) among Italian firms. As of early 2024, over 50 per cent of firms with at least 20 employees had adopted cloud services, showing minimal variation across sectors and suggesting that this technology is becoming standard infrastructure. AI adoption remains more limited – rising from 4 per cent in 2020 to 13 per cent in 2024 – and tends to be experimental or task-specific. Adoption rates are strongly associated with firm size, export activity, group affiliation, and innovation capacity. Managerial quality and prior digital investments also influence AI uptake. Expectations about generative AI point to job transformation rather than displacement. Accordingly, the analysis reveals that digital technology adoption is positively correlated with realized and expected employment growth.

Keywords: digital technologies; cloud computing; artificial intelligence; generative AI; firm performance; business surveys (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D22 J21 L86 O33 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025-06
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