Defence Minister Guido Crosetto called for boosting Italy’s “data power” to keep pace with AI advancements and safeguard national security. He emphasised the importance of submarine cables and critical raw materials, warning against reliance on China
Pushing for Italian leadership. Defence Minister Guido Crosetto is calling for the urgent development of Italy’s “data power” to keep pace with global advancements in artificial intelligence (AI).
- This is crucial for safeguarding the nation’s security and competitiveness in the new digital era.
- Speaking on Wednesday at the Comolake conference, Crosetto emphasised that digital data is the “pillar” of the new technological revolution driven by AI, which has the potential to redefine global power dynamics.
The backbone of the future. Crosetto explained that the concept of “data power” includes both the volume of data a country controls and its ability to process data autonomously.
- He highlighted that data has become as essential as air, yet we often overlook the physical infrastructure that underpins it.
- From smartphones to industrial applications, the manipulation of data shapes economies and societies.
- However, this “new form of energy” relies on robust infrastructure to fuel AI, which will play a vital role in national security across economic, military, and social domains.
The hidden lifelines. Another significant point raised by Crosetto was the physical routes through which data travels.
- Remarkably, 98% of global internet traffic passes through submarine cables, making their protection a top priority.
- He emphasised the importance of submarine cables, which are especially crucial for Italy due to its strategic geographical position in the Mediterranean.
- Crosetto warned that any targeted attack on these cables could trigger a systemic crisis with far-reaching consequences.
- Safeguarding underwater infrastructure will thus be a critical challenge for international security systems in the future.
In addition to… data power and infrastructure, Crosetto underscored the importance of securing access to critical raw materials, such as rare earths, for the production of data centres and advanced computing systems.
- Europe, and to a lesser extent the US, are highly dependent on China for these resources.
- For example, Europe imports all of its heavy rare earths and 85% of its light rare earths from China.
- Any disruption in Chinese supplies could severely impact the ability of Western countries to produce advanced technologies, including military defence systems.
- As Crosetto noted, “Whoever leads in AI will govern the world,” quoting Russian President Vladimir Putin.
- With China aiming to dominate AI by 2030, Italy and its allies must urgently bolster their data power to remain competitive in this global race.
