Subject areaArtificial intelligence
Also known asGiorgio Perotto
Pier Giorgio Perotto (Turin, 1930 - Genoa, 2002) was an Italian engineer and computer scientist, the designer who at Olivetti led the team that created the Programma 101, the first personal computer in history, which carries his name in its nickname, Perottina.
The milestones of his work:
- education: he graduated from the Politecnico di Torino in electrical engineering in 1952 and in aeronautical engineering the following year, then spent two years at FIAT, where he began working on electronic computers;
- Olivetti: in 1957 he joined the electronics research laboratory at Barbaricina, near Pisa, directed by Mario Tchou, and worked on the Elea 9003, the computer wanted by Adriano Olivetti; from 1962 he led the Programma 101 project, unveiled in New York in 1965, and from 1967 he headed the company's research and development;
- management: in 1979 he founded and chaired Elea, the group company for training and consulting; after leaving Olivetti in 1993 he chaired the SOGEA business school in Genoa and wrote handbooks on strategy and organisation.
In 1995 he told his version of the story in the book "Programma 101. L'invenzione del personal computer" (The invention of the personal computer).
Source: Wikidata Q3902881 e Wikipedia, voce Pier Giorgio Perotto, consultate il 21/10/2026, per date e tappe della biografia.
An example
The case below is built for this entry, because the name does not yet appear in the articles. A chemical company that puts artificial intelligence on every technician's desk, instead of locking it away in a specialist department, repeats Perotto's choice: a tool pays off when people use it themselves, without intermediaries.
Enrico Giubertoni. Licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0: you may quote, translate and adapt this entry with the author’s name and a link, stating any changes. For commercial use, write to info@enricogiubertoni.com
Spotted an inaccuracy or something that needs updating? Write to info@enricogiubertoni.com and help make this glossary a better place.
What are your business challenges?
Tell us about your priorities and the objectives you want to reach.
You will receive a free, targeted answer within one working day.