European tech leaders gather in Italy to discuss innovation and Big Tech influence

The Wave by Vento event in Turin hosted 10,000 participants from 117 countries, positioning the city as a central hub for European technological innovation. The event featured over 3,200 accredited organizations and 142 deep-dive sessions, alongside 150 collateral meetings held throughout the city. Notable international leaders in attendance included World Wide Web inventor Sir Tim Berners-Lee, Alibaba chairman Joe Tsai, and designer Sir Jony Ive.

Parallel discussions at the Festival of Critical Economy in Milan highlighted the growing influence of Big Tech companies such as Amazon, Microsoft, and Google. Experts noted that these corporations exert control beyond mere ownership, influencing entire networks of universities, researchers, and public administrations. The discussions emphasized the blurring lines between public and private power, particularly as digital infrastructure becomes indispensable to state functions and military digitalization.