	AI Legislative Guide
	Switzerland
	(Europe) Firm Pestalozzi Contributors Sarah Drukarch Updated 04 Aug 2025
Has specific legislation, final regulations or other formal regulatory guidance addressing the use of AI in your jurisdiction been implemented (vs reliance on existing legislation around IP, cyber, data privacy, etc.)?	No. Switzerland has not yet implemented any specific legislation or final regulation regarding the use of AI. However, on 12 February 2025, the Federal Council announced Switzerland's AI regulatory strategy. The strategy prioritizes ratifying the AI Convention, encouraging targeted, sector-specific adjustments, and promoting responsible AI practices through non-binding measures. For Swiss companies, the ratification of the AI Convention will not bring immediate regulatory changes. Any legislative adjustments will take several years, and for now, AI applications in Switzerland continue to be governed by the existing legal framework. The Federal Council has mandated the Federal Department of Justice and Police to draft, jointly with other federal departments, a public consultation proposal for incorporating the AI Convention into Swiss law. This draft is expected by the end of 2026. The ratification of the AI Convention is subject to parliamentary approval. Additionally, it may be subject to a referendum if so requested by a sufficient number of voters. In parallel, the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications ("DETEC") will, by the end of 2026, provide a plan containing additional non-legislative measures to ensure that Switzerland's regulatory approach aligns with that of its key trading partners.
Please provide a short summary of the legislation/regulations/guidance and explain how legislators aim to strike the balance between innovation and regulation.	Switzerland's presented AI regulatory strategy focuses on three pillars to balance innovation and regulation. International Alignment: Preparing to adopt the Council of Europe's AI Convention as the main priority to ensure alignment with international obligations and adherence to best practices. The legislative project is expected to focus on key areas such as transparency, data protection, non-discrimination and supervision. This adoption will primarily address the public sector. Sector-Specific Regulation: Focusing legislative changes on sector-specific adjustments and applying broader, cross-sector regulations only where fundamental rights, such as personality rights, are affected. Voluntary Compliance: Promoting responsible AI practices and encouraging voluntary compliance through non-binding measures such as self-declaration frameworks or other industry-led initiatives. For now, this remains a regulatory roadmap. Concrete legislation is not expected before 2027.
Which agency regulates the use of AI in your jurisdiction?	There is no specific agency that regulates the use of AI in Switzerland. The legislative process in Switzerland is generally driven by the elected Federal Assembly ("Parliament"), as in the case of AI. Supported by the DETEC and other federal departments, the Federal Council is actively involved with Parliament in assessing the applicability of existing legal frameworks to AI and in considering the need for specific AI legislation. Furthermore, within DETEC, the Federal Office of Communications is playing a key role in this process, not only by providing regular updates and facilitating dialogue through a tripartite platform for digital governance and AI but also by organizing stakeholder engagement meetings.

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Has specific legislation, final regulations or other formal regulatory guidance addressing the use of AI in your jurisdiction been implemented (vs reliance on existing legislation around IP, cyber, data privacy, etc.)?

No.

Switzerland has not yet implemented any specific legislation or final regulation regarding the use of AI. However, on 12 February 2025, the Federal Council announced Switzerland's AI regulatory strategy. The strategy prioritizes ratifying the AI Convention, encouraging targeted, sector-specific adjustments, and promoting responsible AI practices through non-binding measures. For Swiss companies, the ratification of the AI Convention will not bring immediate regulatory changes. Any legislative adjustments will take several years, and for now, AI applications in Switzerland continue to be governed by the existing legal framework. The Federal Council has mandated the Federal Department of Justice and Police to draft, jointly with other federal departments, a public consultation proposal for incorporating the AI Convention into Swiss law. This draft is expected by the end of 2026. The ratification of the AI Convention is subject to parliamentary approval. Additionally, it may be subject to a referendum if so requested by a sufficient number of voters.

In parallel, the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications ("DETEC") will, by the end of 2026, provide a plan containing additional non-legislative measures to ensure that Switzerland's regulatory approach aligns with that of its key trading partners.

Please provide a short summary of the legislation/regulations/guidance and explain how legislators aim to strike the balance between innovation and regulation.

Switzerland's presented AI regulatory strategy focuses on three pillars to balance innovation and regulation.

International Alignment: Preparing to adopt the Council of Europe's AI Convention as the main priority to ensure alignment with international obligations and adherence to best practices. The legislative project is expected to focus on key areas such as transparency, data protection, non-discrimination and supervision. This adoption will primarily address the public sector.
Sector-Specific Regulation: Focusing legislative changes on sector-specific adjustments and applying broader, cross-sector regulations only where fundamental rights, such as personality rights, are affected.
Voluntary Compliance: Promoting responsible AI practices and encouraging voluntary compliance through non-binding measures such as self-declaration frameworks or other industry-led initiatives.

For now, this remains a regulatory roadmap. Concrete legislation is not expected before 2027.

Which agency regulates the use of AI in your jurisdiction?

There is no specific agency that regulates the use of AI in Switzerland. The legislative process in Switzerland is generally driven by the elected Federal Assembly ("Parliament"), as in the case of AI. Supported by the DETEC and other federal departments, the Federal Council is actively involved with Parliament in assessing the applicability of existing legal frameworks to AI and in considering the need for specific AI legislation. Furthermore, within DETEC, the Federal Office of Communications is playing a key role in this process, not only by providing regular updates and facilitating dialogue through a tripartite platform for digital governance and AI but also by organizing stakeholder engagement meetings.