The second day of Emtech featured Nobel Prize winner Philippe Aghion, who in the morning, before an international audience of entrepreneurs and business managers, called for the development of ethical AI that serves workers, championing the values that make our continent unique.
The second day also highlighted how emerging technologies are redefining the economy and society with a significant impact on the energy transition and the development of new skills.
Rome, April 15, 2026 – The meeting was held today second day of EmTech Italy, the flagship international format of MIT Technology Review dedicated to emerging technologies and organized with theUniversità Campus Bio-Medico di Roma. Hosted in the spaces of the Cu.Bo (CUltural BOx), the event also brought together today leading figures from the scientific, academic, industrial and institutional world to deepen the role of innovation in responding to major global challenges, confirming the paradigm of “Tech for Humanity” as the guiding thread of the entire edition.
To open this second day of the event, this morning, Philippe Aghion, Nobel Prize in Economics 2025, which has ofchiarahave: Artificial Intelligence has enormous potential for growth and even job creation, but everything will depend on the institutions we put in place. Europe has everything it takes to win this challenge because it embodies unique values: freedom, democracy, a solid social model, and a profound focus on climate change. I tell our entrepreneurs that the future belongs to them: they hold the key to tomorrow because they are not only creative, but also concerned about the common good, aiming to develop ethical AI that serves workers. Vigorously advancing these values is what makes us unique. tells.
If on the first day the contents revolved around the role of artificial intelligence in the healthcare and industrial sectors, the second day broadened the scope on more systemic implications of technological transformation, with a focus on sustainability, quantum computing, the future of work and the energy transition. They took turns on stage prominent figures on the international scene: next to Philippe Aghion they intervened Andrea Rossi (Chief Executive Officer and General Manager, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, UCBM), Jeff Grover (Quantum Research Scientist, Massachusetts Inst. of Technology), Nicholas Ippolito (Director, Nuclear Division, Ministry of Environment and Energy Security), Paola pisano (Professor and Former Italian Minister of Innovation, University of Turin), Ted Hu (Senior Manager of Licensing, MIT Technology Review), Georgia Garganese (Director of the Women's Health Center for Digital and Personalized Medicine - W-MINED - Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore).
The contents of the second day
Much attention has been paid today to the contribution of emerging technologies in the transition towards more sustainable development models, highlighting the key role of innovation in resource management, decarbonisation and redefinition of production systems. Another central theme was that of the transformations in the world of work, increasingly influenced by the adoption of AI and the consequent impact on the required skills and on the organization of companies. At the same time, discussions were also held on challenges related to the energy transition - between the need to accelerate the development of sustainable infrastructure and the opportunities offered by technologies to improve the efficiency, resilience, and predictive capacity of energy systems. Then there is space for perspectives of the quantum era, with a focus on the potential of the quantum computing and quantum technologies in redefining key areas such as scientific research, data security and the optimization of complex systems.
The concatenation of these comparisons has also highlighted how the growing interconnection between technology, industry and society makes an integrated and responsible approach to the development of innovation ever more urgent.
The dichiarations
"On this second day of EmTech Italy it was truly an honor to host Nobel Prize winner for economics Philippe Aghion - he underlined theCEO and DG ofUniversità Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Andrea Rossi - whose contribution offered a particularly clear interpretation: AI is a true game changer, but its impact will depend on the choices and quality of the institutions we are able to build. Aghion also raised a crucial issue for Europe: it is not a lack of knowledge or research that is holding back growth, but rather the difficulty in transforming it into widespread innovation. Europe produces knowledge, but still struggles to create the conditions for this knowledge to become business, technology, and have a real impact.
We are living in the midst of great technological changes – he continued Andrea Rossi – and in today's scenario, the issue of technology adoption is central, as the speed of adoption is often much slower than the speed at which technology evolves. The results presented in the first report of the National Global Health Observatory, produced with Intesa Sanpaolo, clearly highlighted these transformational dynamics and the need to strengthen the connection between research, the production system, and social impact. How Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma We feel a strong responsibility to promote innovation that is always at the service of people and oriented toward the common good. It is on this balance—between progress and responsibility—that the quality of the innovation we will build in the coming years depends.”
This second day also confirmed the value of EmTech Italy as a true thought platform capable of connecting diverse visions, skills, and responsibilities around a common goal: directing innovation toward a concrete impact on society. has ofchiarato Tommaso Canonici, editor of MIT Technology Review Italia The dialogue between international leaders, academia, and industry has made it clear that emerging technologies can no longer be viewed in isolation, but require a systemic approach, in which innovation, sustainability, and skills development feed off each other. It is precisely in this space of dialogue that the ability to transform technological potential into real, measurable, and shared value is built.
The event's partners
EmTech Italy 2026 is made with the support of Intesa Sanpaolo e Takeda, the initiative's main partner and one of the key players in the innovation ecosystem. For theUniversità Campus Bio-Medico di Roma and the Banking Group was also the occasion to present the first results of the Global Health Observatory "Tech4GlobalHealth”.
They are joined by a group of companies engaged in the digital and technological transition, which helps to outline the overall profile of the edition: argenx, A2A, Bracco, Cisco, eFM, Enel, Experis - brands of ManpowerGroup, Federchimica Assobiotec, Gruppo FS, IBM, LB Servizi per le aziende, Poste Italiane and ROAD – Rome Advanced District.
The second Italian edition of EmTech is coordinated by knowledge partners Opinion, ADL Consulting e Good & Partners.
To learn more about the event, speakers, and agenda: www.emtechitaly.com
