The Digital Talks event in Cagliari served as a powerful laboratory for entrepreneurs to explore the intersection of AI, business, and human connection. This reflection synthesizes key lessons on the importance of continuous learning, authentic networking, and critical thinking in an era dominated by technology, highlighting how human skills remain central to strategy and growth.

When I received the invitation from Roberto Serra to participate in Digital Talks, I confess I didn’t know exactly what to expect. I knew it would be an exclusive event, reserved for a select number of entrepreneurs, but I didn’t imagine how much it would impact my way of seeing training, entrepreneurship, and, more generally, my way of being in the world of work today. Digital Talks was not just a conference. It was a living laboratory of thought, listening, comparison, and growth. We discussed AI, strategy, ethics, communication, and business. But above all, we rediscovered the value of coming together to learn how to circulate skills and visions. I returned enriched, with a backpack full of reflections, questions, and new connections. Here, in summary, is what I learned.

What I learned at Digital Talks

1. You never stop learning It sounds like a cliché, but experiencing it firsthand has a completely different feel. Among dozens of entrepreneurs, all with different paths but equally curious and hungry for knowledge, I understood how fundamental it is to carve out time for continuous training. Being an entrepreneur doesn’t just mean “doing,” but also “reflecting,” studying, and updating oneself.

2. The value of authentic networking Networking is not just a conference buzzword; it is an attitude toward genuine relationships. Roberto Serra and his team were extraordinary in creating a context where discussion was natural and fluid. I met entrepreneurs with whom I could share doubts, visions, and projects. I understood that relationships are not incidental to business: they are the business. Expanding, cross-pollinating, opening up: this is where value is born.

3. Sharing knowledge is an act of strength, not weakness We live in an era where possessing skills is often seen as a competitive advantage to be protected. But at Digital Talks, I experienced the exact opposite: those who know, share.The speakers offered the best of their experiences, without fear of “giving away too much.” And it was there that I understood that disseminating knowledge is the only way to elevate the system as a whole.

4. Critical thinking must never stop being trained In a world where AI can write texts, answer emails, and analyze data, the biggest risk is that of abdicating critical thinking. And yet, today more than ever, we need to question, to ask, to remain vigilant. In this experience, I rediscovered the importance of my degree in philosophy: a continuous mental exercise that helps me not to take anything for granted. Because the real difference, today, lies in the ability to interpret what AI produces, not just in using it.

5. Effort is a value, not an enemy Artificial intelligence can simplify many processes, but it cannot replace the training in complexity, in the effort of thinking and deciding. At Digital Talks, I rediscovered that “everything now” is not synonymous with quality. The ready-made meal of AI, if mismanaged, risks weakening us rather than empowering us.

6. We are in the midst of a cognitive war A powerful concept that emerged during the event is that of the “cognitive war”: every day we are bombarded with information, stimuli, and automatisms. The only defense is knowledge, the real kind, built through study, comparison, and analysis. This is why Digital Talks was much more than an event: it was an active bastion of awareness, where we trained ourselves to recognize the traps of fast and superficial thinking.

7. Data is the new oil. But only if we know how to read it It’s not enough to have data: you need to understand which data to read, how to interpret it, and how to turn it into strategic choices. I learned that structured and unstructured data are a huge resource, but only if there is someone who knows how to make sense of them. And this is (still) a human job.

8. Strategy is not improvised It’s not enough to have tools. You need a vision. At Digital Talks, I understood even more that a business strategy is never the result of a spur-of-the-moment intuition, but of coherence, daily effort, and the ability to listen and plan for the long term.

Thanks to Roberto Serra for inviting me to this intense and enlightening experience. It was a privilege to be there, to dialogue with extraordinary speakers and authentic entrepreneurs. And yes, I confess: I was in Sardinia at the end of June, ten minutes from the sea… and I didn’t even take a swim. But I don’t regret it. Because the real sea, I found it in the depths of the human relationships and ideas we shared.

Key points

  • Continuous learning is essential for entrepreneurial growth.
  • Authentic relationships are not incidental to business; they are the business.
  • Critical thinking is our key differentiator in the age of AI.
  • Sharing knowledge elevates the entire business ecosystem.
  • Strategy requires long-term vision, not just intuitive tools.