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AI to protect Prosecco DOC

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Microsoft Italia and Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato together against counterfeiting of the world’s best-selling Italian bubbles

Microsoft Italy and the Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato have signed a collaboration agreement to defend Italian products from counterfeiting and the Italian sounding phenomenon with advanced generative artificial intelligence solutions.
As part of the memorandum, an AI-based virtual assistant is to be established to verify the authenticity of products. A tangible example of this collaboration is the project with the Consorzio di Tutela della DOC Prosecco, to create a virtual assistant that can ensure the originality of labels and provide detailed information about the product.

Microsoft Italia and the Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato S.p.A. have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that initiates a strategic collaboration aimed at exploring and developing innovative projects based on artificial intelligence that aim to protect the authenticity of Italian products from the phenomenon of counterfeiting.

Among the initiatives part of this agreement is the development of a virtual assistant based on the artificial intelligence of Azure OpenAI, Microsoft Copilot and IPZS proprietary models capable of verifying the authenticity of products and analyzing traceability data, thus contributing to the fight against counterfeiting of Italian excellences around the world.

An example of this collaboration is the project with the Consorzio di Tutela della DOC Prosecco-the world’s most beloved Italian bubbly, with 616 million bottles produced by 2023 (81 percent of which will be for export)-which involves the creation of a generative artificial intelligence chatbot called Brand Protection Assistant. This tool will offer users a range of useful information about products, including verification of label authenticity through a simple photo to the state mark. In addition, through a snapshot of the label, the virtual assistant will be able to provide detailed information on provenance, characteristics, and pairings. This is a pilot project that will be replicable and scalable for all Made in Italy products, from the food supply chain and beyond.

The memorandum of understanding also expands the scope of possible collaboration between the two parties to business optimization 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. This will enable them to take full advantage of advanced technologies for more effective and innovative management.

Quotes

Francesco Soro, CEO of the Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato: “With the launch of this project, the Poligrafico dello Stato confirms itself as the main and most advanced point of reference in the fight against counterfeiting and in the protection of Italian excellence on world markets.”

Vincenzo Esposito, CEO of Microsoft Italia: “The collaboration between Microsoft and the Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato launches new digitization projects aimed at strengthening the security and authenticity of Italian products, while promoting innovation and leveraging the latest technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and Cloud Computing. We are proud of the first project together with the Institute to protect such a world-famous brand as the Consorzio di Tutela della DOC Prosecco. Thanks to the simplicity of AI it will be possible to offer consumers the opportunity to know the originality of the product.”

Giancarlo Guidolin, President of the Consorzio di Tutela della DOC Prosecco: “The agreement between Microsoft and the Istituto Poligrafico is a real source of satisfaction for us. Consumers will be protected as never before through a simple chat that leverages artificial intelligence, making access to information easier and more immediate. We are really happy that our product, which is the result of the relentless work of everyone in the supply chain, can be protected by implementing the use of technology in our favor. In fact, for some time now we have been engaged in a fruitful collaboration with the IPZS with the aim of identifying innovative technological solutions capable of ensuring an ever greater guarantee to consumers, so we look forward to the future with enthusiasm, certain that this innovation will bring concrete and lasting benefits to the world of designations of origin.”