Prysmian and Mashfrog: AI and people driving innovation

At the SAP NOW AI Tour 2025, Prysmian Group shared its experience in adopting Artificial Intelligence for business applications, developed in partnership with Mashfrog Group. The presentation demonstrated how AI can become a tangible driver of growth when guided by a measurable strategy and a company culture focused on change.

During the event, Catello Voccia, Global Applications Director at Prysmian, and Fabio Galiffa, Sales Director at Mashfrog Group, described a journey that combines vision and pragmatism, emphasizing the importance of a human-centered approach to innovation.

For Prysmian—a global company with 30,000 employees and €17 billion in revenue in 2024—AI is an integral part of a broader transformation that supports digitalization, the energy transition, and sustainability.

Strategy and vision to drive change

The launch of the Business AI program in SAP was driven by three key challenges that redefined the Group’s digital roadmap at the beginning of 2024. The first was the need to modernize the Global Infrastructure, the second involved upgrading the global SAP platform, and the third was management’s push to leverage existing data through AI solutions.

The response to these needs was the migration to RISE with SAP—a strategic move that unified technology and business, laying the foundation for a scalable artificial intelligence program.

Mashfrog supported Prysmian through this phase as a technology partner and strategic advisor, providing methods and tools to turn technical potential into measurable value. As Voccia pointed out, "Innovation is essential, and AI is a way to generate additional value for our customers—but only when it’s embedded in a clear business vision."

A shared framework to scale AI across the organization

At the heart of the project is the methodological framework developed by Prysmian together with Mashfrog, which combines an iterative approach with analytical rigor. Following an initial assessment, based on a study within the SAP Discovery Center catalog, use cases were identified for finance, procurement, and logistics, outlining a clear roadmap with defined priorities and timelines. Each project is configured in a development environment, monitored using specific KPIs, and validated with business units before the pilot release into production.

Fabio Galiffa described this model as "a point of no return for the company," as it introduces a new culture of data and measurement. The initial results show how the methodology proposed by Mashfrog helps reduce operational risks, driving an organic and sustainable transformation. The goal is to create a digital ecosystem where every innovation is tested, validated, and scaled only when it delivers tangible value.

People and skills: the heart of transformation

The program is not just about technology—it’s primarily about people. As Catello Voccia put it, "The real value doesn’t lie in the algorithm, but in the ability to make it interact with those who understand the business."

Prysmian is investing in upskilling its workforce by training teams on SAP BTP, Business AI, and Document AI to foster widespread growth in digital capabilities. Mashfrog has supported the Group in defining training paths and adopting a product-oriented approach, where internal functions actively participate in testing and evaluating new solutions. This method not only accelerates AI adoption but also strengthens a culture of collaboration between technology and business. The presence of a single global SAP instance, serving around 90 plants and 10,000 users, provides a solid foundation for scaling any new application.

Pragmatism, measurability, and digital culture

Prysmian’s experience highlights several principles that can serve as inspiration for other companies. The first is pragmatism: don’t launch AI projects just because they’re trending—start from real needs and clearly defined business goals. The second is measurability: evaluate each initiative using objective metrics to determine when and how to scale it. The third is digital culture, seen as a tool to guide people in the conscious use of AI and in developing a critical understanding of data. Mashfrog plays a key role in supporting this gradual learning and upskilling process with highly specialized and certified expertise. As Galiffa emphasized, "Artificial intelligence is not infallible and doesn’t replace humans—it empowers them, unlocking their creative and strategic potential."

Innovation means collaboration

The Prysmian-Mashfrog case shows that true innovation stems from the dialogue between technology and people. When embedded in a conscious business strategy, artificial intelligence becomes a tool to strengthen competitiveness and drive sustainable growth.

Thanks to its cross-functional experience in digital transformation projects, Mashfrog reaffirms its role as a reliable partner in guiding companies through concrete innovation journeys centered on people.

Prysmian’s journey demonstrates that AI is not an end in itself, but a tool for cultural and industrial evolution. It’s a model that combines vision, methodology, and collaboration—values that Mashfrog shares and promotes every day alongside its strategic partners.