Switzerland To Become A Global Leader For Responsible AI
Our guess (or rather expectation) is for Switzerland to become a global leader for responsible AI. By responsible AI, we mean the development and use of artificial intelligence (AI) in a manner that is ethical,transparent, reliable, and aligned with human values.
This rather bold claim follows the recent news of the launch of the Swiss AI Initiative by EPFL and ETH Zurich, whose objective is to foster the creation and application of trustworthy and reliable artificial intelligence. It is corroborated by Trust Valley partner PwC Switzerland’s pledge to invest CHF 50 million over the next three years to enhance its AI capabilities with a strong focus on what the company calls « a responsible approach to AI ».
Trust Valley, as the Swiss centre of excellence for digital trust and cybersecurity, champions the materialisation of this vision and role for Switzerland. Given the profound and expanding influence of AI, fostering AI that is developed and applied with responsibility and ethical integrity becomes a cornerstone for a safe, secure and responsible digital economy — a vision that is shared and advanced by Trust Valley and its 50+ members.
Lately Trust Valley intensified its efforts to set the stage for a future where AI is synonymous with responsibility and trust. These include creating safe and natural platforms for debate, awareness-raising and exchanges, as well as engaging in expert discussions on the topic, including:
- The Trust & AI Forum on 20 September 2023, organised in partnership with PwC Switzerland and the Economy of Trust Foundation, to explore the intersections of trust and artificial intelligence and reflect on the impacts of AI in the trust economy.
- Trust Valley Day 2023 featured a panel about the love-hate relationship of AI and trust, with Yan Borboën Digital Assurance and Cybersecurity Partner at PwC Switzerland, Roger Dubach, Ambassador, Deputy Director, Directorate of International Law – EDA – DFAE – FDFA, Jérôme Duberry, Managing Director – Tech Hub, Anne-Marie Kermarrec Professor – EPFL and Ilia Kolochenko CEO – ImmuniWeb
- Trust Valley CEO Lennig Pedron participated in a group discussion on AI and ethics with Professor Lyse Langlois from the International Observatory on the societal impacts of AI and digital technologies (OBVIA), organised by the Graduate Institute
- Trust Valley CEO Lennig Pedron spoke about the challenges of AI at Safe AI Lausanne, alongside Catherine Pugin, Delegate of Digital Affairs, State of Vaud and Johan Rochel, Co-foudner of the Ethic Lab and Teacher at EPFL
- Through the Tech4Trust acceleration programme, Trust Valley has been supporting early-stage companies developing responsible AI solutions, including Brightside, CSky.ai, Custocy, and Demosquare, among others.
Today’s discussion on AI predominantly focuses on regulatory frameworks, like the EU AI Act. Switzerland chairs the Council of Europe Committee on Artificial Intelligence (CAI) and plays an active role in shaping the future rules on AI for the Council of Europe. Yet we advocate for a broader perspective where responsible AI is equally rooted in core values.
Switzerland, with its academic institutions, dynamic private sector and flourishing innovations, coupled with a long-standing tradition of trust, is particularly well positioned to assume this leadership role.
This echoes the observation made by Brad Smith, President of Microsoft during the Trust Valley Day in 2020: “There are few nations in the world for the proposition of trust more than Switzerland”.
As we move into 2024, we look forward to moving this agenda forward, leveraging Switzerland’s strengths to shape a future for responsible AI.
Stay tuned for more events and interventions discussing the importance of responsible AI.