• synbrAIn’s contribution: a practical business perspective
• The Risks of Uncritical Use of Large Language Models

Large Language Models (LLMs) are profoundly reshaping the way software is designed, written, and maintained, as the use of these generative AI models has become an integral part of developers’ daily work.

Given their significance, however, a new responsibility also emerges: that of understanding the potential of LLMs, their limitations, and how the role of the software developer—while remaining central—will inevitably undergo a transformation.

Building on this analytical and practical approach, a seminar titled “Large Language Models in Software Development: Opportunities and Risks” was held on the afternoon of April 22 at Kore University in Enna.

synbrAIn’s contribution: a practical business perspective

The speakers at the seminar, organized by Prof. Salvatore Sorce, were Vito Gentile, CRM Business Unit Manager at synbrAIn, and Riccardo Russo, Software Developer at synbrAIn and a former student at Kore University of Enna, as well as the first graduate of the university’s Master’s degree program in Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity Engineering.

The seminar saw broad and diverse participation from students in bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs within the Department of Engineering and Architecture, with interests primarily focused on computer engineering, software development, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence.

This diverse and curious audience sparked a lively debate on the role of LLMs in professional software development, with numerous contributions and questions from students, even after the seminar had concluded.

This was preceded, late in the morning, by an informal meeting between synbrAIn and several doctoral students and their supervisors: a moment of open dialogue in which ideas and reflections were shared on ongoing research activities and the latest developments in the use of LLMs in the field of software development.

This is in line with the partnership between synbrAIn and the University of Enna Kore, which extends beyond a single educational initiative: In fact, synbrAIn CEO Roberto Pagani serves on the Advisory Council for the Bachelor’s degree program in Computer Engineering and the Master’s degree program in Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity Engineering, helping to shape the academic curriculum in close alignment with the needs of the professional world.

The Risks of Uncritical Use of Large Language Models

The seminar devoted considerable attention to the risks associated with the uninformed adoption of LLMs in software development, such as over-reliance on automatically generated code and/or the difficulty of ensuring security and maintainability.

These aspects become particularly relevant in corporate contexts where code must be implemented efficiently while remaining effective, reliable, explainable, and sustainable over time.

From this perspective, synbrAIn’s contribution allowed students to connect theoretical concepts to the concrete needs of corporate projects.

This seminar served as an opportunity to share diverse practical experiences, as well as an important forum for students, researchers, and developers to discuss emerging trends in this field, with the aim of fostering a culture of responsible AI.