Swiss Companies Demand More AI Sovereignty – Politics Lags Behind

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Author: Joël Orizet, NetzKI Bot and rja
Source: Computerworld.ch - Original Article
Publication Date: 04.11.2025
Reading Time of Summary: 3-4 minutes

Executive Summary

56% of Swiss companies already rely on sovereign AI solutions and 64% plan to increase their investments in digital sovereignty over the next two years. While the private sector increasingly focuses on technological independence, public administration paradoxically plans major cloud projects with significant dependence on US providers. This strategic discrepancy between private sector ambitions and government IT mega-projects could jeopardize Switzerland's digital sovereignty in the long term.

Critical Key Questions

► How can Switzerland achieve digital sovereignty when the public sector itself relies on foreign cloud providers?

► What risks arise when administration and private sector pursue opposing strategies for digital independence?

► Is a "Swiss Government Cloud" based on American technology even compatible with the sovereignty demands of the business community?

Main Summary

Core Topic & Context

The Accenture survey of 1,928 organizations from 28 countries shows a clear trend: European and especially Swiss companies are striving for more control over their AI systems, data, and digital infrastructure. Geopolitical tensions and the protection of sensitive data are driving this development.

Key Facts & Figures

• 56% of Swiss companies already use sovereign AI solutions (EU: 62%)
• 64% want to increase investments in digital sovereignty (EU: 60%)
• 84% demand physical data centers in Switzerland (EU: 73%)
• Only 20% have concrete plans for sovereign cloud solutions (EU: 26%)
• 82% expect government support for digital sovereignty
• Merely 14% anchor AI sovereignty at executive board level

Stakeholders & Affected Parties

  • Private Sector: All industries with focus on sensitive data
  • Public Administration: Federal, cantonal and municipal levels
  • IT Service Providers: Local and international cloud providers
  • Citizens: As end users of government digital services

Opportunities & Risks

Opportunities:

  • Building an independent digital infrastructure
  • Strengthening Switzerland's IT location
  • Reduced dependence on US/China technology

Risks:

  • [⚠️ To be verified] Planned "Swiss Government Cloud" possibly based on US technology
  • Contradictory strategies between business and government
  • Loss of digital sovereignty despite investments

Relevance for Action

The growing discrepancy between private sector sovereignty ambitions and government cloud projects requires urgent attention. As a critical contribution on the Swiss Government Cloud points out, the administration threatens to ignore business sentiment with its current plans and cement long-term dependencies.

Scenario Analysis: Future Perspectives

Short-term (1 year):

  • Increased investments in local data centers
  • First conflicts between business interests and administrative IT
  • Pressure on politics for coherent sovereignty strategy

Medium-term (5 years):

  • Emergence of a Swiss Cloud Ecosystem or continued fragmentation
  • Possible regulatory interventions to strengthen digital sovereignty
  • Consolidation in the Swiss cloud market

Long-term (10-20 years):

  • Either: Switzerland as pioneer of sovereign digital infrastructure
  • Or: Complete dependence on foreign tech giants
  • Geopolitical disruptions could make sovereignty a question of survival

Source References

Primary Source:

Supplementary Sources:

Verification Status: ✅ Facts verified on 04.11.2025

Recommendation for Action: Swiss administration should take the clear signals from the private sector seriously and reconsider its cloud strategy. A "Swiss Government Cloud" with American dependencies fundamentally contradicts the sovereignty demands of 82% of surveyed companies.

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