Zurich - The canton of Zurich is launching a test environment known as Innovation Sandbox for projects in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI). This initiative, which is being supported by administrative bodies, the private sector and research organizations, will seek to provide answers to open regulatory questions.

The Innovation Sandbox initiative will seek to strike a fine balance between regulation and innovation for AI projects. To this end, a group of institutions active in the area of administration and research, in addition to private sector organizations, have joined forces. Under the direction of the Canton of Zurich, the group is now launching the test environment called Innovation Sandbox for projects in which AI plays a central role.

According to a press release issued by the canton, as part of this initiative selected AI projects are being implemented by organizations and companies in a controlled framework together with the cantonal administration. The participants receive support for regulatory matters and in accessing public data sources. Technical or conceptual consulting services for AI projects and clinical studies are expressly excluded from this.

Start-ups, SMEs and large corporations alike can all take part, although charitable foundations, associations, non-governmental organizations, research institutions and administrative units can also apply. In the first phase of the project, participants based in the Metropolitan Region of Zurich will be given priority.

The initiative has received financial backing from the Metropolitanraum Zürich association. In addition to various offices in the cantons of Zurich and Schwyz, the ETH AI Center, the UZH Center for Information Technology, Society and Law (ITSL), swissICT and entrepreneurship@ZHAW are also involved in the project.

 

 

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