Italy’s Azimut Yachts has collaborated with Google Cloud and Reply – the company specialising in the design and implementation of solutions based on new communication channels and digital media – with important implications for smart boat management.

Thanks to the collaboration, Azimut has created a proprietary app that leverages Google Cloud data management and analysis and speech-to-text capacities included in its Vertex AI solution to combine boat management and smart home functionality for the first time, allowing users to interact with the yacht through voice commands or access the system remotely.

The beta version – installed onboard the Magellano 60 for testing – controls the entertainment, lighting and climate systems, as well as the appliances. It also displays up-to-date information from the main computer, allowing real-time water and fuel monitoring and supporting the optimisation of resource management. Additionally, security cameras can be installed and integrated to remotely monitor the yacht.

“We are thrilled to support Azimut in its digital transformation path leveraging Google Cloud’s artificial intelligence solutions to help them providing their customers with a better experience onboard and develop new standards of innovation in their industry,” explains Fabio Fregi, country manager Italy Google Cloud.

Tatiana Rizzante, CEO of Reply, adds: “The main challenge was integrating the digital world with physical engineering, which is our forte. From this union, with the support of Google Cloud technology, the app was created with all the functionalities that can be further implemented: we are currently combining the IoT (Internet of Things) component with AI to build an advanced conversational intelligence that can be queried for information on a specific knowledge domain, such as technical manuals on board.”