Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the way societies work, learn, and communicate. Over the past year, Italy has taken a significant step in defining how this transformation should unfold: in September 2025, the Italian Parliament approved a comprehensive national law regulating artificial intelligence, becoming one of the first countries in the European Union to adopt a domestic framework aligned with the EU AI Act.
The legislation marks a major milestone in the European debate on AI governance. While the EU AI Act establishes a continental regulatory framework, Italy’s initiative translates those principles into concrete national rules governing how artificial intelligence can be developed and deployed across sectors such as education, healthcare, work, and public administration.
At its core, the new law emphasizes a human-centric approach to artificial intelligence, establishing that AI systems must remain transparent, accountable, and subject to human oversight. In sensitive domains—such as medical diagnostics, justice, or employment decisions—AI may support professionals but cannot replace human responsibility in decision-making processes.
The legislation also introduces measures to prevent the harmful use of AI technologies. Among the most notable provisions are sanctions for individuals who intentionally use artificial intelligence to produce or distribute harmful deepfakes or to facilitate crimes such as fraud, identity theft, or manipulation.
Particularly relevant for younger generations, the law includes provisions aimed at protecting minors in an increasingly AI-driven digital environment. Under the new framework, children under the age of 14 may only access AI systems with parental consent, reflecting growing concerns about how generative AI tools influence young people’s learning processes, privacy, and digital wellbeing.
Alongside the regulatory dimension, the Italian government has also paired the new law with investment measures intended to strengthen the country’s innovation ecosystem. A public investment fund of approximately €1 billion has been allocated to support research and companies working in fields such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, cybersecurity, and advanced telecommunications.
For those working in education and youth policy, these developments carry particular significance. The new legislation reinforces the idea that AI governance must not focus exclusively on technological development, but also on social responsibility, democratic oversight, and the protection of fundamental rights—principles that are especially relevant for younger generations growing up in environments increasingly shaped by algorithmic systems.
At the same time, the law highlights a broader challenge that many European countries are currently facing: how to balance technological innovation with robust safeguards. As AI tools become increasingly integrated into classrooms, workplaces, and everyday life, policymakers must ensure that these technologies expand opportunities rather than deepen existing inequalities.
This is precisely where initiatives such as YouthGovAI become particularly relevant. While governments design regulatory frameworks, projects like YouthGovAI work to ensure that young people themselves are informed, empowered, and able to participate in discussions about the future of artificial intelligence. Surveys, focus groups, and educational activities conducted across Europe consistently show that youth interact with AI tools on a daily basis—but often without the critical knowledge required to fully understand their implications.
Italy’s new AI law therefore represents more than a regulatory milestone. It signals a shift toward a governance model that recognizes artificial intelligence as a societal issue rather than a purely technical one. By embedding principles such as transparency, human oversight, and youth protection into national legislation, the country is attempting to shape an AI ecosystem that is both innovative and socially responsible.
For young people, educators, and youth workers, this moment also opens an important opportunity: to ensure that the next phase of AI governance is not designed solely by institutions and technology companies, but is also informed by the voices, experiences, and expectations of the generations who will live with these systems the longest. As the debate around artificial intelligence continues to evolve across Europe, Italy’s experience offers a powerful reminder that governance, education, and youth engagement must move forward together if AI is to truly serve the public interest.
