Microsoft Italy and the Italian Mint and Printing Office have signed a collaborative agreement to protect Italian products from counterfeit goods and the “Italian sounding” phenomenon by using advanced generative artificial intelligence solutions. As part of the memorandum, an AI-based virtual assistant will be developed to verify the authenticity of products. A concrete example of this collaboration is the project with the Consorzio di Tutela della DOC Prosecco, which aims to create a virtual assistant capable of guaranteeing the authenticity of the label and providing detailed information about the product.
NEW YORK, Aug. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Microsoft Italy and the Italian Mint and State Printing Institute S.p.A. have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) launching a strategic collaboration aimed at developing innovative artificial intelligence projects to protect the authenticity of Italian products from counterfeit sales.
Among the initiatives covered by this agreement is the development of a virtual assistant based on Azure OpenAI, Microsoft Copilot and proprietary IPZS models. This assistant will be capable of verifying product authenticity and analyzing data traceability, thus contributing to the fight against the counterfeiting of Italian excellence worldwide.
An example of this collaboration is the project with the Consorzio di Tutela Prosecco DOC – the most popular Italian sparkling wine in the world, with 616 million bottles produced as of 2023 (81% of which are exported). The project involves the development of a generative artificial intelligence chatbot called the Brand Protection Assistant. This tool will provide users with a range of useful information about the products, including verifying the authenticity of the label through a simple photo of the state seal. Additionally, by taking a photo of the label, the virtual assistant will provide detailed information on origin, characteristics and pairings. This is a pilot project that will be replicable and scalable for all “Made in Italy” products, including those in the agri-food sector and beyond.
The memorandum of understanding (MOU) helps expand the scope of potential collaboration between the two parties to optimize business operations through Copilot for Microsoft 365 and the use of Microsoft’s Azure cloud services. The companies will identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency, reduce costs, increase scalability and modernize business management systems, enabling a more innovative management system.
Francesco Soro, CEO of the Italian Mint and State Printing Office, said: “With the launch of this project, the Italian Mint and State Printing Office reaffirms its position as the leading and most advanced point of reference in the fight against counterfeiting and the protection of Italian excellence in global markets.”
Vincenzo Esposito, CEO of Microsoft Italy, said: “The collaboration between Microsoft and the Italian Mint and State Printing Office initiates new digitization projects aimed at enhancing the security and authenticity of Italian products, while fostering innovation and leveraging the latest technologies such as artificial intelligence and cloud computing. We are proud of our first project with the Institute to protect a world-renowned brand, such as the Consorzio di Tutela Prosecco DOC. Thanks to the simplicity of AI, consumers will be able to verify the authenticity of the product.”
Giancarlo Guidolin, President of the Consorzio di Tutela Prosecco DOC, said: “The agreement between Microsoft and the Italian Mint and State Printing Office is a source of great satisfaction for us. Consumers will be better protected than ever through a simple chatbot that uses artificial intelligence, making access to information more convenient and immediate. We are really happy that our product, which is the result of the tireless work of everyone in the supply chain, can be protected by using technology to our advantage. For some time now, we have enjoyed a fruitful collaboration with the Mint and the State Printing Office to find innovative technological solutions that provide ever-greater security to consumers. We are excited about the future and are confident that this innovation will bring tangible and lasting benefits to the world of appellations of origin.”
Microsoft
Microsoft enables organizations to realize their digital transformation projects with new innovation scenarios such as cloud computing and artificial intelligence. The company’s mission is to help people and organizations worldwide achieve more through technology and digital solutions. More information about Microsoft is available at https://www.microsoft.com/it-it/.
Microsoft Italia
https://news.microsoft.com/it-it/
Chiara Mizzi, Director of External Relations
chiaram@microsoft.com
Burson
Marta Grassini
marta.grassini@bcw-global.com – Tel. 346 9565753
Martina Nava
mailto:martina.nava@bcw-global.com – Tel. 320 8255390
Valeria Valenti
valeria.valenti@bcw-global.com – Tel. 328.1932734
CONSORZIO DI TUTELA DELLA DOC PROSECCO
http://www.prosecco.wine
Elena Maccatrozzo / Communications
comunicazione@consorzioprosecco.it
CLAP COMMUNICATION
Albina Podda / Press office
albina@clapcommunication.it – Tel. 3484510176
ITALIAN MINT AND STATE PRINTING OFFICE
https://www.ipzs.it/ext/index.html
Press Office
ufficiostampa@ipzs.it
Media Contact
Eleonora Vatteroni, Colangelo & Partners, 6466242885, evatteroni@colangelopr.com
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SOURCE Colangelo & Partners
