In recent years, the Government has promoted a national strategy for artificial intelligence in Italy, focusing on three fundamental axes: research, industrial application, and ethical sustainability. In this context, projects based on generative AI, machine learning, and automation are multiplying, capable of improving productivity and personalizing the user experience, while respecting privacy and digital rights.
According to EY Smart City Index 2025, Milan, Turin, Bologna, and Rome are confirmed as centres of excellence, thanks to the presence of universities such as the Polytechnic of Milan or the University of Bologna, which train new generations of data scientists and language engineers. At the same time, there is a growing awareness of the issues of AI ethics, with initiatives involving philosophers, jurists, and policy experts.
The journey into artificial intelligence in Italy is only just beginning, but the direction is clear: to make this technology accessible, inclusive, and at the service of people.
Table of Contents
- Athics among AI companies in Italy
- Our journey: the debut (2018–2019)
- Investors and stages (2021–2022)
- The evolution of Crafter.ai (2022–present)
- International fairs and awards (2024)
- Where are we today?
- FAQs about Artificial Intelligence in Italy
Athics among AI companies in Italy {#athics-ai-italy}
Our history is a journey of passion for innovation, a deep experience in artificial intelligence in Italy, and a constant commitment to making conversational technologies accessible and effective for companies of all sizes and sectors.
Since its inception, Athics has set itself the goal of exploring the frontiers of artificial intelligence, with a specific focus on the potential of human-machine dialogue and Conversational AI. This commitment has translated into a path dotted with significant milestones, strategic collaborations, and awards that have progressively shaped the identity and capabilities of Crafter.ai.
Our journey: the debut (2018–2019) {#debut}
Founded in 2018, Athics is the cognitive science company of the Yoda Group. Yoda is a privately held, entirely Italian group made up of companies with distinctive skills that transform technological and process innovation into value for businesses, organizations, and Public Administrations.
Our journey gained momentum in 2019, when Athics distinguished itself by winning the "Call Hub Idee che innovano" of the Lombardy Region. This first recognition validated our vision and allowed us to actively contribute to the RE-HUB-ILITY project, where we took the first concrete steps in the development of chatbots for virtual assistance in the healthcare sector.
This first project taught us a great deal: the complexity of human interactions in delicate contexts, the importance of an AI that knows how to respond appropriately even to emotional questions, and the need to build conversational systems capable of adapting to the user's context — competencies that would become the heart of Crafter.ai.
Investors and stages (2021–2022) {#investors}
The following years saw Athics consolidate its presence and expertise among artificial intelligence companies in Italy. A key moment was the entry into the Gellify portfolio and the Azimut Digitech Fund, operations that strengthened our investment capacity in Crafter.ai, projecting us towards an international dimension and confirming the value of our conversational artificial intelligence technology in a rapidly expanding market.
Our active participation in industry events — such as SmartExportAcademy, the webinar on Industry 4.0 "La fabbrica del futuro", and UMANia — together with the sponsorship of prestigious observatories at the Polytechnic of Milan (Osservatorio Artificial Intelligence and Osservatorio Omnichannel Customer Experience), further demonstrated our commitment to spreading the culture of AI. Strategic partnerships, such as the one with Experis (ManpowerGroup), have broadened the application horizons of Crafter.ai.
The evolution of Crafter.ai (2022–present) {#crafter-evolution}
The heart of our mission is the continuous evolution of Crafter.ai. We have undertaken a rebranding process to better reflect our energy and constant pursuit of excellence among companies operating in artificial intelligence in Italy.
The PortrAIt solution has been added to the Athics portfolio: a unique technology developed in collaboration with world-renowned research institutes such as MIT, which allows virtual assistants created with Crafter.ai to adapt their communication to the user's psychological profile. This level of personalization represents a significant qualitative leap compared to traditional chatbots.
The success of Crafter.ai is demonstrated by the numerous companies that have chosen it to innovate their communication and processes, including Sorgenia, Vega Carburanti, Humanitas, Nuove Energie, Pellegrini, Bestway, Emapi, Omicron, Fire, TLC Marketing Italia, Centrale del Latte di Torino, eKanban, MW.FEP, Acquedotto del Fiora (AdF), and Hello Vacanze.
The release of Crafter.ai V2 marked a further step forward in simplifying the creation and management of virtual assistants, making our No-Code technology even more powerful and intuitive. Our presence on MePA and partnerships with entities such as Lochmara (ThinkOpen Group) and Mitto continue to expand the reach and capabilities of Crafter.ai.
International fairs and awards (2024) {#awards}
The new company strategy guided by Paolo Massarani marks the beginning of a new phase of strategic growth, with a focus on consolidating the team, attracting new investments, and an ambitious international expansion plan for the conversational artificial intelligence solutions Crafter.ai and PortrAIt.
Our presence at top-level international events such as CES in Las Vegas and recognitions such as the award received at the TIM AI Challenge for the social sustainability of our solutions confirm that we are working in the right direction to position Athics in the landscape of artificial intelligence in Italy.
The mention of Athics and Crafter.ai in the guides of world-renowned analysts such as Gartner is further evidence of the validity of our approach and the quality of our platform. Being cited among the relevant players in the AI market by one of the most authoritative analysis firms in the world represents significant recognition of the work done over these years.
Where are we today? {#where-are-we-today}
In these first months of 2025, we have implemented new platform features, such as the proprietary RAG system, and entered into new partnerships with Rekordata (R-Store Group) and Sysnet.
At Athics, we believe that artificial intelligence in Italy is a fundamental lever for the digital transformation and development of the country, capable of generating concrete value for businesses, institutions, and citizens. It is with this belief that we carry out our mission: to make innovation accessible to all, creating intelligent solutions that not only simplify processes, but enhance the ability of people and organizations to reach any goal.
To stay up to date on the latest news and initiatives of Athics, follow our blog and contact us to discover how Crafter.ai can support your business.
FAQs about Artificial Intelligence in Italy {#faqs}
What is the state of artificial intelligence in Italy?
Italy is experiencing a phase of significant growth in AI adoption, with cities such as Milan, Turin, Bologna, and Rome establishing themselves as centres of excellence. The Government has promoted a national strategy focused on research, industrial application, and ethical sustainability.
Who is Athics and what does it do in the AI sector?
Athics is the cognitive science company of the Yoda Group, founded in 2018. It develops Crafter.ai, a no-code platform for creating virtual assistants and AI agents for companies of all sectors and sizes, with a focus on customer care, marketing, and sales.
What is Crafter.ai?
Crafter.ai is Athics' no-code platform for the creation and management of AI agents and conversational chatbots. It allows even non-technical teams to develop personalized virtual assistants, integrable with major business systems and communication channels.
Which companies use Crafter.ai?
Among Crafter.ai's customers are companies such as Sorgenia, Humanitas, Vega Carburanti, Centrale del Latte di Torino, and Hello Vacanze, operating in sectors such as energy, healthcare, food, and travel.
How can I start using Crafter.ai?
You can register for free at v3.crafter.ai or contact us at [email protected] for a personalized consultation on your specific case.
