The University of Naples “Parthenope” has launched AI-COM – Municipalities and Artificial Intelligence, a new initiative dedicated to the informed, responsible, and strategic adoption of artificial intelligence within local public administrations.
The project was presented on 10 July 2026 at Villa Doria d’Angri in Naples. It is promoted by the IFEL Foundation, the University of Naples “Parthenope”, and ANDIGEL, with the involvement of ANCI Campania. Its goal is to support Italian municipalities as they explore how AI can improve administrative processes and the quality of public services.
A Shared Path Towards Public-Sector Innovation
AI-COM brings together universities, institutions, municipal administrations, public managers, and experts in digital innovation.
Rather than treating artificial intelligence as a technology to be adopted without adequate preparation, the project promotes a collaborative process through which municipalities can identify genuine needs, evaluate opportunities, and define realistic priorities for experimentation.
The initiative aims to build a network of public administrations capable of approaching digital transformation with greater awareness, competence, and organisational readiness. AI solutions can thus be considered not as isolated technological products, but as components of broader strategies for improving efficiency, accessibility, transparency, and services for citizens.
Municipalities at the Centre of the Design Process
A central feature of the opening event was its participatory approach.
Following the institutional presentations and the introduction of the project’s objectives, representatives and technical staff from municipalities took part in two co-design sessions. These activities were designed to enable public administrations to share experiences, identify their most pressing needs, and establish priorities for future AI experiments.
This approach recognises that effective technological innovation cannot be imposed from above. It must begin with an understanding of administrative processes, organisational constraints, available data, professional competences, legal responsibilities, and the actual needs of local communities.
Research, Technology, and Public Value
For the Computer Science community, AI-COM represents an important example of application-driven research.
Municipal administrations manage complex processes and extensive information concerning public services, mobility, territories, social needs, financial resources, regulations, documents, and communication with citizens. These environments offer significant opportunities for the responsible application of technologies such as:
- machine learning and data analytics;
- natural-language processing;
- intelligent document management;
- decision-support systems;
- process automation;
- knowledge representation;
- conversational interfaces;
- cybersecurity and privacy-enhancing technologies;
- interoperable data platforms;
- explainable and trustworthy artificial intelligence.
At the same time, public-sector applications raise essential questions concerning data quality, accountability, fairness, security, transparency, accessibility, and human oversight.
Computer scientists therefore have a crucial role not only in developing algorithms, but also in designing systems that are reliable, understandable, sustainable, and genuinely useful to institutions and citizens.
Institutional and Scientific Contributions
The opening session included institutional contributions from representatives of the University, local and regional authorities, and municipal organisations.
The project was introduced by Angelo Rughetti, Head of the IFEL Municipal Investment Observatory, and Michele Bertola, President of ANDIGEL.
Its scientific coordination involves Pasquale Granata, Director General of the Municipality of Naples; Filomena Buonocore, Professor of Organisation Studies at the University of Naples “Parthenope” and the Italian National School of Administration; and Tommaso Agasisti, Professor of Public Management at the Polytechnic University of Milan.
The collaboration between public-management specialists, computer scientists, institutions, and local administrations reflects the inherently interdisciplinary nature of artificial-intelligence adoption.
Beyond a Single Event
The meeting in Naples marked the beginning of a broader pathway rather than a standalone conference.
AI-COM is intended to facilitate the development of a community of municipalities capable of sharing knowledge and experiences, assessing technological solutions, and experimenting with AI in ways that respond to concrete administrative requirements.
The long-term value of the initiative will depend on the capacity to connect several complementary dimensions:
- scientific and technological research;
- organisational innovation;
- professional education and training;
- responsible data governance;
- legal and ethical compliance;
- measurable improvements in public services;
- continuous dialogue with citizens and local communities.
The Role of the University
Through AI-COM, the University of Naples “Parthenope” contributes its research expertise and educational mission to a major challenge for contemporary public administration.
Universities can help institutions distinguish between realistic AI opportunities and unsupported expectations. They can provide independent evaluation, develop prototypes, study organisational and societal impacts, and educate the professionals who will be responsible for designing and managing future digital public services.
The initiative also creates opportunities for interdisciplinary research, student involvement, internships, theses, doctoral projects, and collaboration between academic laboratories and public administrations.
Building Trustworthy AI for Citizens
Artificial intelligence can help municipalities process information, reduce repetitive workloads, support decisions, and make services easier to access. However, technological efficiency alone is not sufficient.
AI used in public administration must respect fundamental rights, protect personal data, provide appropriate explanations, and preserve meaningful human responsibility.
The most important objective is therefore not simply to introduce more automation. It is to build trustworthy public-sector innovation that strengthens institutions and produces tangible value for communities.
AI-COM offers a promising framework for pursuing this objective by placing public needs, interdisciplinary expertise, and collaborative design at the centre of the digital transformation process.