La Dolce Vita Meets AI: Study Trip to Milan

From May 18 to 22, 2026, students from FH Kufstein Tirol’s master’s degree program in Smart Products & AI-Driven Development traveled to Milan together with Deputy Program Director Prof. (FH) Dipl.-Ing. Thomas Schmiedinger, PhD. The focus of the trip was the international AI Week conference, which offered multifaceted insights into the present and future of artificial intelligence — ranging from critical reflections on big-model ecosystems to new creative ways of working such as vibe coding.

“A successful trip that connects existing knowledge with innovation — inspired by Leonardo da Vinci and driven by current AI impulses,” Thomas Schmiedinger summarized. Leonardo da Vinci, probably Milan’s most famous universal scholar, viewed art and science as inseparable. This idea took on new meaning on site, as the students experienced firsthand how strongly historical inspiration and technological progress can fuel one another.

Balancing intellectual depth with lightness, the group spent five days fully in the spirit of La Dolce Vita.

Between Reflection and Progress: Key Topics at AI Week

The conference focused not only on technological innovation, but also on critical reflection. Karen Ho, author of Empire of AI, questioned the growing dependence on major AI model providers: What opportunities does their speed create — and what risks arise from lock-in effects, proprietary interfaces, and a lack of transparency? Her core message was clear: AI has become indispensable, but how society chooses to deal with this power remains an open question.

Multimodal models that combine visual and audio-based data were also a major topic. Mark Hamilton presented creative approaches to connecting different modalities, including one particularly unusual application: decoding dolphin language. Offering a counterpoint to this creative perspective, Shaden Alshammari of MIT introduced a morphological box for ML algorithms that helped participants methodically navigate complex AI landscapes — from inputs and learning paradigms to available resources.

Agents, Vibe Coding, and Transfer into Teaching

Autonomous and collaborative agents were especially prominent, demonstrating how tasks can be orchestrated, tools integrated, and safety mechanisms respected at the same time. Alongside this, vibe coding gained attention as an approach that enables fast, intuitive prototyping and can provide fresh momentum, especially in teaching. Michele Catasta from Replit gave an impressive demonstration of how this method can unfold in real projects. The degree program has already begun translating these insights into concrete discussion and practice formats so they can be incorporated directly into courses and project work.

Milan itself proved to be more than just a backdrop. The city, where the Renaissance and modernity intersect both architecturally and culturally, provided the ideal setting for the trip. Between the traces of Leonardo da Vinci and the stages of contemporary AI research, a dialogue emerged that connected historical knowledge and technological futures in an inspiring way. The program was rounded out by intensive networking with international experts — an exchange that will continue to have an impact far beyond the conference itself.

Links:

• Smart Products & AI-Driven Development | ft
• AI Week | Website
• Mark Hamilton | Website
• Replit | Website