Leonardo, the Italian aerospace and defence giant, has unveiled a major digital initiative aimed at accelerating innovation and attracting new talent to the European defence industry. The company has officially launched its Advanced Cognitive Solution centre—described as an “AI Factory”—and introduced O.P.E.N., a metaverse environment designed to engage the next generation of STEM professionals.
Speaking at the Trento Festival of Economics, Greta Radaelli, Head of Advanced Cognitive Solution at Leonardo, outlined the vision behind the centre during a panel on “Scaling up AI with Supercomputing.” She described the facility as “a kind of AI Factory that will bring together all of Leonardo’s digital laboratories focused on artificial intelligence, deep digital technologies, and quantum computing under one roof.”
Leonardo’s digital transformation strategy is anchored on two technological pillars: a powerful supercomputing infrastructure and a network of advanced digital research laboratories. Together, these capabilities are designed to help the company meet the evolving challenges of the global defence landscape with scalable and sustainable innovation.
To complement this tech-forward approach, Leonardo has launched O.P.E.N., an interactive metaverse designed to attract young graduates in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). Within this immersive digital world, users navigate as avatars, interact with digital twins of Leonardo’s high-tech products, and explore potential career paths through guided simulations and virtual mentorship experiences.
The initiative reflects a growing trend in the aerospace and defence sector: leveraging immersive digital tools not just for engineering and design, but also for recruitment and skills development.
By merging real-world technology with virtual exploration, Leonardo is crafting a pipeline for future talent while reinforcing its role as a leader in digital innovation across Europe’s defence industry.
SOURCE AND IMAGE: LEONARDO
