Swiss AI Weeks Showcase Artificial Intelligence Throughout Switzerland

More than 150 partner organizations are coming together to launch Swiss {ai} Weeks, a nationwide initiative featuring 160 events that showcase AI innovation, ethics, and societal impact.

Switzerland is prioritizing artificial intelligence (AI) in public discourse with the introduction of Swiss {ai} Weeks, a comprehensive event series scheduled from September 1 to October 5, 2025. This initiative unites 150 partner organizations across academia, industry, government, and civil society, aiming to demonstrate AI’s potential while promoting its responsible integration. With over 160 events spread across 24 cities, this series stands as one of Switzerland’s most extensive AI outreach programs ever.

The program highlights the significant role AI plays in daily life. Events feature hackathons, workshops, expert panels, and citizen conversations, alongside easily accessible online options. Journalists and citizens will learn to identify deep fakes, educators will investigate essential skills in this AI-driven era, and researchers will clarify how modern large language models operate. The emphasis is on merging expertise with societal involvement in a transparent and inclusive manner.

Apertus, Switzerland’s open-source LLM

A key feature is the integration of Apertus, the fully open multilingual large language model launched in August 2025 by EPFL, ETH Zurich, and the Swiss National Supercomputing Centre (CSCS). Developed using the Alps supercomputer in Lugano, Apertus is one of the few open LLMs of its magnitude globally, supporting over 1,000 languages, including lesser-represented languages such as Swiss German and Romansh.

Throughout Swiss {ai} Weeks, Apertus will facilitate hackathons sponsored by partners like Swisscom, AXA, Swiss Re, the Federal Government, and UBS. Participants will apply the model to tackle real-world issues spanning financial services to healthcare. By offering open access to its architecture, weights, and training data, Apertus embodies Switzerland’s vision of AI as a public resource, rooted in transparency, sovereignty, and innovation.

Western Switzerland’s AI ecosystem

This event series builds on Western Switzerland’s status as a premier global hub for AI research and application. Institutions such as EPFL’s AI Center and the Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine (CAIM) in Bern have been leading the charge in advancements in areas like speech recognition, machine learning, and medical AI.

This vibrant ecosystem is complemented by the Swiss AI Initiative, co-directed by EPFL and ETH Zurich, establishing Switzerland as a global leader in developing large-scale, trustworthy foundation models. Its standout achievement so far is Apertus. With over 800 researchers involved and access to 20 million GPU hours annually, this initiative is among the world’s largest open-science projects focused on AI.

Geneva also plays a crucial role in Switzerland’s AI landscape. The University of Geneva engages in research across areas like natural language processing and machine learning, whereas the Geneva School of Business Administration (HEG) fosters applied AI projects with SMEs. The city also hosts international organizations such as the ITU, which spearheads global discussions on AI ethics and governance through initiatives like AI for Good.

Other significant centers in Western Switzerland emphasize the region’s strengths. The Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Complex Systems (iCoSys) at the School of Engineering and Architecture of Fribourg focuses on distributed computing and Industry 4.0 applications. Meanwhile, the Swiss Center for Electronics and Microtechnology (CSEM) in Neuchâtel contributes to digital technologies with applied AI and microelectronics research. Collectively, these institutions form a dynamic network where academic excellence, industry collaboration, and start-up innovation intersect.

AI for society and the economy

“Artificial intelligence should be central to society,” stated Pascale Vonmont, CEO of Gebert Rüf Stiftung, the main partner of the project. “Swiss {ai} Weeks combine cutting-edge research with real-world challenges, fostering discussion and innovation that benefits both Switzerland and the global community.”

“With Swiss {ai} Weeks, AI has transitioned from research environments into daily life,” remarked Christoph Birkholz of Panter AG, co-initiator of the initiative. “This is about shaping the future of AI the Swiss way: with transparency, openness, and responsibility.”