There are those who at 17 are still struggling with mathematics. And then there is Leonardo Tronci of Quartucciu, who has just kicked the rhetoric of the “young talent” by placing third in a world competition of artificial intelligence.

Organized by Eventornado, with the support of Fifty Is Nifty, AiKidzAcademy and VeavAI.com, the Future Minds AI Hackathon represents one of the most challenging competitions for young global talents in the AI sector . And there, Leonardo, quietly, the only Italian in the final, convinced the jury with a hybrid creature: PawPal AI, a digital puppy that doesn't purr, but saves you on bad days.

PawPal, in fact, listens to children. It accompanies them in dark moments, helps them manage anxiety and loneliness and does so with the lightness of an avatar but the precision of a well-built algorithm . No wow effect, no rocket to the moon: just methodically designed empathy. And this is exactly what made the jury fall in love: the ability to speak a new language on a very old problem: the mental fragility of minors.

"An intelligent emotional support system designed to improve the quality of life of children. A project with strong scientific bases and a concrete social impact and an innovative solution that demonstrates a deep understanding of the problems related to childhood and mental health", this is how the jury defined Leonardo Tronci's project.

“One day I was looking at my cat, Baghera, and I asked myself: ‘And without you, what would I do?’” Shortly after, while I was “scrolling” online, I discovered this competition that encouraged the use of artificial intelligence for the well-being of children.” So why not give it a try? “I started developing the idea, thinking of a way to offer emotional support to people who feel lonely, just like a pet does: and that’s how PawPal AI was born!”

Leonardo, a fourth-year student at the liceo classico europeo del Convitto di Cagliari, passed all three stages of the competition. From the technical proposal to the revision, up to the final video pitch: each step brought his name closer to the podium. And when he got there, he demonstrated that innovation does not need inspirational phrases, but only useful, urgent and well-thought-out ideas.

"Getting on the podium was an incredible feeling! I didn't expect it, but I hoped for it, because I worked hard on the project, also involving healthcare professionals to collect real feedback from their patients", says the enthusiastic seventeen-year-old, "When they told me I was on the podium, with an eight-hour delay compared to the official communication due to the time zone, I was emotional: knowing that I represented Italy and that my project was appreciated for both its medical and social value makes me really proud".

Oh, and in his free time he volunteers. But this is not a detail to embellish the story: it is part of the same way of being in the world. Not as a “precocious genius”, but as a person aware that technology without ethics is just noise.

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