It’s been a while since we launched Above Trends, Beyond Insights. What started as an experiment in rethinking our editorial voice has now become a steady practice: every issue, we scan the signals that matter and translate them into business insight. Our commitment remains the same (less noise, more signal), with an even stronger focus on what executives need to navigate uncertainty: timely context, curated trends, and practical guidance.

Rewriting the work contract: Italy and the automation paradox

According to the latest Randstad AI & Humanities Report, presented at Italy’s Chamber of Deputies, more than 10.5 million workers are now “highly exposed” to automation risk, particularly in lower-skilled professions such as artisans, factory workers and clerical employees. Yet, the real transformation is not just about disappearing roles, but about how automation is being introduced without a coherent framework or shared direction.

Artificial intelligence is redefining the division of labor faster than institutions and education systems can adapt. Without coordination between innovation policies, business strategies and workforce training, the benefits of AI risk concentrating where digital maturity is already high. The outcome is a widening gap: between companies that can integrate automation strategically and those left behind, and between individuals equipped to evolve and those excluded from new value chains.

The question is no longer whether automation will happen, but how to ensure it unfolds within a fair and inclusive system. Europe’s cautious but concrete steps, such as the AI Act and national reskilling initiatives, move in the right direction, though implementation remains uneven.

Without effective regulation and accessible digital education, technological progress could deepen regional and social divides instead of bridging them. The companies that will truly lead this transition are those capable of combining automation with transparency, accountability and inclusion. Because innovation becomes progress only when it creates shared opportunity, not structural imbalance.

TREND TRACKER

AI agents: from automation to autonomy

AI agents are evolving beyond reactive models into autonomous collaborators capable of managing tasks end-to-end. A recent case on Medium described agents built with Claude Code that handle their own inboxes, interpret context, and decide how to act.

This illustrates a broader shift toward agentic AI, systems that plan, execute and learn independently within defined boundaries. Unlike chatbots, these agents interact with APIs, CRMs and even email systems, orchestrating workflows once handled by humans.

The momentum is accelerating as enterprises seek productivity gains not just through faster execution but through delegated complexity; letting machines coordinate routine decisions while humans focus on exceptions.

For CIOs and innovation leaders, the challenge is governance: defining what level of initiative is acceptable, how to audit decisions, and how to secure credentials in multi-agent ecosystems. Autonomy, after all, scales risk as much as efficiency.

Want to learn more?

• The Wall Street Journal - How Are Companies Using AI Agents? Here’s a Look at Five Early Users of the Bots

• Medium - My AI Agents have their own inbox and know how to use it. A Claude Code Skill Story.

• Gartner - Intelligent Agents in AI Really Can Work Alone. Here’s How.

QUICK INSIGHT

Digital agility: four moves to scale faster in 2025

Digital initiatives often stall between pilot and scale because technology runs ahead of organizational readiness. Research by McKinsey & Company and Boston Consulting Group shows that value creation now depends more on people and process than on algorithms. To bridge that gap, leaders can apply these quick actions:

• Prioritize three high-impact domains, such as customer service, supply chain, or R&D, and assign clear innovation targets.

• Run 90-day sprints per domain: define a minimum viable product, measure results, iterate rapidly.

• Apply the 70-20-10 allocation: dedicate 70 % of resources to people and process, 20 % to data and platforms, 10 % to AI models.

• Build C-suite dashboards to monitor progress, barriers and ROI visibility in real time.

These steps keep experimentation focused and measurable, turning agility into a disciplined operating model rather than a buzzword.

WHO IS BABINI MAZZARI

Our Value Proposition

Babini Mazzari is the strategic IT partner for European companies looking to navigate digital transformation in a structured, pragmatic, and sustainable way.
We don’t just deliver technical solutions - we work as an extension of your internal team, helping you integrate systems, optimize processes, and lead change with clarity and competence.

Our approach is built on listening, transparency, and a strong results-driven culture. Whether you're scaling, modernizing, or rethinking your operating model, we support every client with the right tools, clear methodology, and long-term vision.
Above Technology. Beyond Solutions.

📎 [Our services]
📎 [Our Manifesto]