Artificial intelligence in the Greater Zurich Area

Researchers in Greater Zurich want to make machines not only more capable but also better learners. For instance, the ETH AI Center with over 93 professorships focuses on AI foundations and applications across all departments and promotes trustworthy AI. In Lugano, IDSIA specializes in machine learning and robotics, while the Swiss National Supercomputing Center CSCS offers top-tier infrastructure for researchers, such as the supercomputer "Alps". In addition, universities like ZHAW, FHGR, USI, and SUPSI also offer AI degree programs, thereby strengthening Greater Zurich's position as a leader in AI innovation.

Across various industries, both established firms and innovative startups are pursuing visionary projects in artificial intelligence, encompassing areas like machine learning, natural language processing, neural networks, and computer vision.

Google's strong presence in the Greater Zurich Area is highlighted by its impressive workforce of over 5,000 employees at its Zurich site, its largest R&D hub outside the U.S. 

Further enhancing the region's AI scene, a range of companies including startups like Starmind, Squirro, and Cradle, and giants such as Microsoft, Meta, NVIDIA, IBM, and Huawei have set up R&D labs in the Greater Zurich Area. Their collaboration with Swiss universities and institutions fuels a dynamic ecosystem of innovation.

As of 2025, Switzerland has not adopted a dedicated AI law. Instead of pursuing a comprehensive regulatory framework like the EU AI Act, Switzerland is taking a tailored, sector-specific approach. This includes implementing Europe’s AI Convention and making targeted adjustments to existing laws, while also promoting non-binding measures to encourage responsible AI practices. 

Switzerland’s strategy emphasizes openness, public infrastructure, and transparency. Its development of a national large language model (LLM) as open-source software reflects a commitment to technological sovereignty and contribution to global knowledge commons, marking a shift toward more collaborative and inclusive AI development. 

This contrasts sharply with international approaches: the EU’s binding, risk-based AI Act; China’s state-controlled and ethics-centered framework; the U.S.’s market-driven, decentralized stance; and Singapore’s transparency-focused GenAI initiative. 

By balancing innovation and safety, Switzerland positions itself as a middle path in global AI governance - aligned with European values, yet open and innovation-driven at its core.

The outstanding academic institutions and high concentration of R&D labs by private companies attract a large and highly skilled talent pool to the Greater Zurich Area. 

According to Sequoia’s Atlas, Zurich ranks third out of 24 European cities in AI talent share – pretty impressive when considering its size. When comparing the density of AI talent, Zurich stands out with the second highest in Europe, representing 14% of the city’s local talent pool. This highlights the Greater Zurich Area’s unique position as a densely concentrated hub of AI expertise.

In the late 80s, Greater Zurich emerged as an AI pioneer. Jürgen Schmiedhuber, a professor at IDSIA, laid the foundation for modern AI with his research into neural networks and deep learning. 

IDISA later became the birthplace of DeepMind, where many of the technologies behind the company, which was bought by Google for 500 million just four years after it was founded, were developed.