Francesco
Balzan
Expert in Innovation Processes and Digital Transformation Z-Inspection
Dottorando presso il Dipartimento di Informatica dell’Università di Bologna con una borsa di studio nel quadro del PNRR e parte del programma di dottorato “FAIR” (Future Artificial Intelligence Research) coordinato dall’Università di Pisa. La sua ricerca si concentra sull’intelligenza artificiale e l’apprendimento, con un focus sui modelli cognitivi per la previsione delle traiettorie di apprendimento. Ha presentato e pubblicato in conferenze internazionali, come Cognitio2021 (“Scientific Active Inference”) e ECML PKDD (“A 2-step methodology for explainable AI in education”).
Ha conseguito una laurea in Antropologia Cognitiva nel 2018 e una laurea in Filosofia della Scienza nel 2021 presso l’Università di Bologna, con esperienze di studio e ricerca anche presso l’Università di Amsterdam e l’Università di Lisbona. Nel 2021 è stato selezionato per il progetto europeo MIDAS presso il Joint Research Center, focalizzato sulla modellazione e gestione dell’innovazione e della conoscenza per la Commissione Europea.
Esperto di processi di innovazione e trasformazione digitale, ha collaborato con aziende di rilievo, come Bper, Intesa Sanpaolo, Barilla e Metro, promuovendo l’uso di strumenti avanzati per l’analisi e l’elaborazione dei dati. Si dedica all’avanzamento dell’intelligenza artificiale nell’ambito dell’educazione e dell’innovazione attraverso un approccio scientifico e interdisciplinare.
COURSES
In the contemporary fast-paced and ever-evolving landscape of modern business, innovation is no longer a mere optional, but rather a categorical imperative for survival. No company, whether large incumbent businesses or early-stage startups, can afford not to master the discipline of innovation in a structured and rigorous way. Within this context, AI has emerged as a transformative force, reshaping not only how companies operate but also the fundamental dimensions of what they offer and how they organize themselves.
This course aims to provide participants with the skills and the knowledge necessary to manage AI from a business innovation perspective in a disciplined way, to understand, embrace, and harness the potential of AI to reshape the future of business.
Participants will learn how to assess the value of AI for business and recognize the different ways AI can revolutionize different aspects of business innovation, such as products, services, processes, organizational structures, and business models. The goal is to develop a clear understanding of the levels, stages and business contexts in which AI systems can generate innovation advantages. To this end, students will have the opportunity to analyze complex case studies to understand the risks and opportunities related to AI adoption, identify the main barriers to its diffusion and develop formalized strategies to overcome them.
In addition and building on the idea that AI should be focused on providing value to end-users, participants will learn how to assess whether AI solutions address the crucial needs of customers and other end users by helping them accomplish significant tasks or “get an important job done.” This user-centric perspective ensures that AI is not just a technological novelty but a meaningful asset that improves people’s lives and solves real-world problems.
Furthermore, the course offers participants to acquire the skills to prioritize AI opportunities effectively. They will follow a structured process that revolves around assessing organizational goals and winning aspirations, aligning AI initiatives with the overarching vision of the business.
By the end of this course, participants will be well-prepared to navigate the AI landscape and lead their organizations into a future where AI is an integral and value-driven component of their business strategy. “Reinventing Business with AI” is the gateway to understanding, embracing, and harnessing the potential of AI to reshape the future of business.
Artificial Intelligence for Business