Last 30 October 2025 I attended A&T (Automation & Testing) – Expo Industria in Vicenza – Italy to understand where industrial innovation is heading in my home region Veneto, following my recent visit to CIIF 2025 in Shanghai.
The show positions itself as an industrial event where technologies, innovation and competencies are on display. What immediately caught my eye was the strong presence of software vendors proposing integrated digital solutions for automation and process reorganization, a clear indication that digital transformation is now treated as an ongoing improvement journey rather than a one-off project.
At the AI Forum companies presented solid capabilities in process digitalization and real case studies that highlighted how AI can:
- Optimize process flows across production and logistics;
- Support shop-floor operators with guided tasks and anomaly detection;
- Improve after-sales management with predictive diagnostics and intelligent ticketing;
- Capture senior employees’ expertise preserving critical knowledge within the company.
AI is used for process monitoring and virtual assistance, keeping adoption accessible and easy to integrate with existing systems.
As a former Industrial Management Engineer educated at UNIPD in Vicenza, I was pleased to see the University actively engaged at the fair, offering local companies academic know-how and best practices developed by professors and students. This is a positive step especially compared to past attempts I made to involve academia in technology development for Experia Solution.
Overall, A&T felt like the right fair for an industrial management mindset where methods, data and processes meet operational reality.
I hope Veneto economy, one of the engines of Italian and European industry, will adopt these digital approaches with confidence so our companies can tackle technological challenges and remain competitive on global markets.
