New think tank einstAIn: How AI should secure Switzerland's prosperity

Artificial intelligence is changing the world of work faster than many can react. With the newly initiated think tank "einstAIn", Employees Switzerland and Kuble - House of Intelligence want to actively, fairly and sustainably shape the AI transformation in Switzerland. The platform brings together companies, employees, science and politics and translates global and Swiss studies into clear recommendations for action.

Framework conditions of work under pressure

"At first glance, it may seem unusual for an employee association to set up a think tank. But the dynamics of artificial intelligence are calling established models into question," says Alexander Bélaz, President of Angestellte Schweiz. Until now, the rule was: if you work eight hours, you get paid eight hours. But with AI, someone can do in two hours what used to take a whole day. If in future it is no longer working time that counts, but value generated, we as a community must clarify how productivity gains are distributed so that employees are not left behind.

Eight key challenges

The think tank consolidates findings from international and Swiss studies and derives specific fields of action from them. A first Report identifies eight key challenges for Switzerland. It makes it clear: for Switzerland, artificial intelligence is not a promise for the future, but a touchstone for its prosperity. In a high-wage country with a shrinking working population, competitiveness, social welfare and income can only be secured if productivity increases and the innovative edge is defended.

"Demography means that the labor supply is shrinking, but the demand remains. We must use AI as an opportunity to increase labor productivity - and thus secure prosperity in Switzerland," says Patrick Chuard, Chief Economist at the Swiss Employers' Association.

Need for strategy and new skills

At the same time, there is a dangerous imbalance in many companies. While employees have long been using AI informally and pragmatically, there is a lack of clear strategy and responsibility at many management levels. It is risky to reduce AI to simple, isolated tools. Those who do not rethink roles and processes are wasting productivity and exacerbating uncertainty instead of creating added value.

"The age of AI requires new ways of working and new skills. Identifying these is crucial - for the self-development of employees, for skills management in companies and for education in order to prepare the current and future workforce in the best possible way," says David Gisler, Talent Acquisition Lead at Siemens.

Loss of value of professions and qualifications

For employees, this transformation means a fundamental paradigm shift: job security is increasingly being replaced by employability. AI is not devaluing entire professions in one fell swoop, but rather tasks, routines and existing qualifications. Without new skills profiles and a broad, in-depth "AI literacy", there is a risk of a structural division in the labor market - between those who can use AI productively and those whose work is gradually losing value.

"AI will fundamentally change value creation in Switzerland. In order for us to shape this transformation in a self-determined way, we need our own research capacities and open technologies that are transparent, legally compliant and accessible to all," says Imanol Schlag, AI Research Scientist at the ETH AI Center.

Expected political responses

Politically, too, waiting is not an option. Unclear regulatory frameworks slow down innovation and investment more than technological boundaries, while dependence on a few global providers continues to grow. Those who do not actively shape digital sovereignty, data security and legal certainty risk giving up value creation and creative power.

"AI is rapidly changing the way we work and live. This makes it all the more important to have clear, fair rules that create trust without slowing down innovation. With targeted education and awareness-raising, we ensure that AI serves social cohesion and is shaped in a democratically legitimized way," says Dominik Blunschy, National Councillor and Advisor Digital Business & Innovation at ti&m.

Broad advisory community

The think tank is supported by an interdisciplinary advisory community that brings together employers, employees, politicians and academics. Different perspectives and sometimes conflicting experiences are explicitly part of the process. The exchange between current research and practical application is crucial in order to develop realistic and socially viable guidelines for AI-driven change.

"All stakeholders from business, politics, work and science are cordially invited to actively shape the dialog and take joint responsibility for the future of work. With a broad dialog, an in-depth exchange of knowledge and courageous action, we increase the chance of continuing Switzerland's success story in the age of intelligence," says Roger Oberholzer, Partner and Academy Lead at Kuble - House of Intelligence.

The central finding of the report is clear: artificial intelligence is not a job killer, but a prosperity booster - provided it is strategically managed, broadly qualified and responsibly regulated. Whether AI becomes an opportunity or a burden for Switzerland will not be decided in the code, but in the decisions made by companies, politicians and society - and now.