The Lombardy Region of Italy has launched an institutional mission to the United States. The visit focuses on the role of artificial intelligence in shaping the future of education and preparing students for a rapidly evolving job market. The delegation made strategic stops in California’s Silicon Valley—one of the world’s foremost centers for tech and innovation.

A key moment of the mission took place at Google headquarters in Mountain View, where Tironi met with Luca Prasso. Formerly a character rigging supervisor at DreamWorks for films like Shrek and Kung Fu Panda, Prasso now works on Google’s XR team, generating synthetic data for machine learning systems—core components of many AI applications.

The discussion centered on how AI can enhance educational tools and outcomes, highlighting the potential for big tech to support more inclusive and accessible learning solutions.

The delegation also visited HP in Palo Alto, where they explored an AI-driven pilot project that supports employees with disabilities, providing practical insight into how technology can break barriers in the workplace.

At Stanford, the delegation met with economist Professor Luigi Pistaferri. Conversations with researchers highlighted the value of fostering critical thinking and teaching digital responsibility. As a globally recognized institution—home to 22 living Nobel laureates—Stanford offered a fertile ground for discussing AI’s economic implications and the role of universities in equipping students for a tech-driven world. Stronger collaboration between academic institutions and regional governments was identified as crucial to addressing future challenges.

AI was the central theme throughout the day. Tironi stressed that Lombardy has already taken concrete steps, such as releasing ethical guidelines for using AI in education and offering free training modules to teachers. Over 5,000 educators have already taken part, positioning Lombardy as a leader in digital transformation.

With upcoming visits including UC Berkeley, the mission aims to build meaningful partnerships and turn ideas into tangible initiatives to benefit future generations.