Switzerland has shelved plans for a national study on the health effects of chemical pollutants, reported RTS. The scheme, intended to track the impact of pesticides, heavy metals and “forever chemicals” such as PFAS on 100,000 volunteers over two decades, would have cost as much as CHF 240 million. The Federal Council cited budget constraints […]
Baidu picks Switzerland to pilot its robotaxis
Robotaxis are common place across much of the US and China. Waymo, a self-driving taxi pioneer, operates in Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Silicon Valley, Austin and Atlanta, with plans to expand further. In China, robotaxi services are widespread across major cities such as Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Shanghai and Beijing. Progress in Europe has been relatively […]
Swiss to launch open source Large Language Model
Switzerland’s federal institutes of technology—ETH Zurich and EPFL in Lausanne—have announced plans to launch a large language model (LLM) of their own. Unlike most of its peers, this one will be public, open-source and led by ethics and science. It is expected to be released later in 2025. Developed under the Swiss AI Initiative, launched […]
Proton freezes Swiss investment over surveillance fears
Proton, the Geneva-based encrypted email provider founded 11 years ago by three scientist who met at CERN, will freeze its investments in Switzerland, its chief executive Andy Yen told Le Temps on Wednesday. The company, best known for its privacy-first services, accuses Switzerland of edging towards becoming a surveillance state. The dispute centres on two […]
Swiss digital surveillance plan heavily criticised
A proposed revision to Switzerland’s digital surveillance regulations has met with broad political and industry backlash, reported RTS. Critics say the draft, put forward by the Federal Council, threatens data privacy, allows disproportionate state intervention, and could undermine the country’s reputation as an innovation hub. In a consultation process that concluded on Tuesday, parties across […]
Switzerland’s underground cargo project switches track
Cargo Sous Terrain (CST), Switzerland’s long-planned underground freight network, has been in the making for more than a decade. The concept is simple: instead of clogging up roads, goods would be transported via automated wagons moving through subterranean tunnels, loaded and unloaded at designated hubs. Yet enthusiasm for the project has cooled. Last year, municipalities […]
Swiss officials not following EU use of burner phones for US travel
The European Commission is reportedly tightening internal security guidance for staff travelling to the United States, placing the country on a par with China, Iran, and other sensitive destinations in terms of data protection, reported SRF. The aim of the EU move is to guard against potential espionage, a reflection of growing mistrust between Washington […]
Swiss government to look at classroom phone ban
This week, the Federal Council said it would look at a proposal to ban access to social media in Swiss classrooms, reported RTS. The ban aims to effectively prevent the use of mobile phones in class and would apply to those under 16. The proposal is supported by politicians on both the left and the […]
Most honey tested in Switzerland adulterated shows test
An analysis of 20 brands of honey sold in Switzerland found 17 were adulterated. The testing, run by SRF, involved looking at the DNA present in the products. It looked at the types of DNA present and absent in the samples, which were taken mainly from low-priced imported products. The tests, which involve identifying more […]
Switzerland ranked second in digital competitiveness
Switzerland came second in this year’s World Digital Competitive Ranking, which ranks 67 nations across the world. The 2024 World Digital Competitiveness Ranking, produced annually by IMD, placed Singapore at the top, followed by Switzerland and Denmark. This year’s ranking is the highest for Switzerland over the eight years that the report has been published. […]
