Dissemination event in Trieste - Area Science Park
28/06/2026
On 22 June 2026, Area Science Park hosted the dissemination event "Artificial Intelligence for SMEs: Perceptions, Awareness and Opportunities", organised within the framework of the BEST4.0 project, co-funded by the Interreg Italy–Croatia Programme.
The event brought together SMEs, project partners and experts to present the results of the first project activities and to discuss the practical role of Artificial Intelligence in supporting business innovation. A roundtable discussion entitled "Does Artificial Intelligence really benefit businesses?" offered participants the opportunity to explore cultural, ethical and managerial perspectives on AI adoption, encouraging an open debate on both the opportunities and the challenges associated with its integration into business processes.
A central part of the event was the presentation of the support activities carried out by Area Science Park in collaboration with InfoFactory, a company specialising in data science, Artificial Intelligence and digital innovation. Through a structured assessment of SMEs' needs, companies operating in various industrial sectors of the Blue Economy identified a number of common priorities for AI adoption. These included reducing manual data processing, improving access to information, supporting data-driven decision-making, and preserving corporate know-how by enhancing existing organisational knowledge.
The assessment led to the identification of 42 concrete AI use cases, covering recurring technological solutions such as Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) systems for technical and regulatory documentation, digital reporting with voice transcription, optimisation of design processes, and project and deadline management tools.
One of the most significant outcomes of the analysis was the high implementation potential of the proposed solutions: 55% of the identified use cases were assessed as having high or very high feasibility, demonstrating that many of the companies' needs can already be addressed through currently available AI technologies.
The event also showcased the demonstration and testing activities carried out with the support of InfoFactory and introduced participants to potential public funding opportunities that could support the implementation of the pilot projects identified during the analysis phase.
Looking ahead, the experience gained through BEST4.0 will contribute to the development of a new catalogue of innovation services that Area Science Park will make available to SMEs, capitalising on the knowledge and expertise built throughout the project to further support the digital transformation of businesses.
