Today, IN THE ‘BEHIND THE SCENES’ SERIES, WE’RE SPEAKING WITH principal data scientist, AT THE intesa sanpaolo (ISP), DANIELE regoli. DANIELE WILL BE TELLING US ABOUT HIS ROLE AND THE ROLE OF isp WITHIN THE TANGO PROJECT.

Thanks for speaking to us today. Could you start by introducing yourself and telling us where you are based?

My name is Daniele Regoli, and I work at Intesa Sanpaolo’s Data & Artificial Intelligence Office as a Principal Data Scientist. I am based in Bologna, but I mostly collaborate with colleagues in Turin and Milan. I have a background in physics, with a PhD in theoretical physics from the University of Bologna. I worked in academic research for a number of years, mostly in data science and mathematical modelling with an emphasis on finance and economics. I started working on end-to-end AI projects for several Intesa Sanpaolo departments four years ago when I joined the Data & AI Office. In Intesa Sanpaolo, I have also had the opportunity to explore topics of Responsible AI, in particular fairness and non-discrimination, and Explainable AI.

How would you describe TANGO with three words only?

Collaborative – Bold – Innovative

How do your professional interests match the objectives of TANGO?

Actually, I believe that both my past career and my current position are an incredible fit for TANGO. I worked for years as a researcher, and also have experience in European funded projects; moreover, regarding my current role, on the one hand I work in end-to-end AI projects, which means I frequently interact with the Business Units that will ultimately use the AI systems, but I also have a keen interest in Responsible AI and I am involved in research projects on topics such as fair-AI and Explainable AI, that lie precisely at the interaction between human and system. This is exactly in line with TANGO’s goals and spirit.

What is unique about TANGO in your opinion?

The broad nature of the researchers’ knowledge in TANGO truly impresses me. While I’m not sure if this is truly unique, it is undoubtedly uncommon and a fantastic place to start when researching the broad and varied field of AI-human interaction.

What makes your organisation ideal for participating in the research/activities of TANGO?

At Intesa Sanpaolo we are particularly interested in aspects related to the interaction between AI systems and their users, the transparency of AI processes and appropriate and conscientious application of AI systems by the different Business Units. Naturally, this is also important from the standpoint of the European Artificial Intelligence Act, whose development and related debate we have been following very carefully since its Proposal in April 2021.

 What would be your advice to anyone interested in getting involved with a Horizon Europe project?

First of all: enjoy. It is quite impressive and stimulating to get to work in such a diverse and challenging endeavour. However, it is important to be prepared for the complexity: it may be challenging to coordinate the efforts of so many scholars who represent many nations and cultural backgrounds. There might be a lot of demands placed on timelines, milestones, deadlines, bureaucracy, reporting, etc.

Thank you for taking the time to speak to us, Daniele. We look forward to more updates from the team at ISP. 

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