AI Adoption by Italian Startups: A Measurement Framework

The Italian startup ecosystem provides a rich context to examine the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI), since startups are supposed to be at the forefront of new technologies adoption due to their specific nature and characteristics. Despite AI’s transformative potential as a general-purpose technology, there is a lack of comprehensive frameworks to measure how Italian startups adopt and integrate AI into their business model and operations. This study addresses this gap by developing an AI Adoption Framework grounded in literature and tailored to startups. The AI adoption framework has been tested on a sample of 14 Italian startups through interviews and data analysis. The results have been analysed through a composite index, the AI Adoption Index (AIAI) to assess the level of AI adoption towards our sample. Findings reveal a moderate-to-high AI readiness among these startups, especially in strategic and technological dimensions, although integration into business models and customer services remains limited. The proposed framework and results contribute to both theory and practice by providing a structured means to assess AI adoption in entrepreneurial ecosystems and guiding strategic interventions.