Switzerland’s federal institutes of technology, ETH Zurich and EPFL (Lausanne), are enhancing their collaboration in artificial intelligence (AI) by founding the Swiss National AI Institute (SNAI).

This new institute will focus on AI research, education, and innovation from a national perspective, emphasizing transparency, open-source solutions, and trust. Both universities announced the initiative on Thursday.

The SNAI will leverage the expertise of more than 70 professors specializing in AI across Switzerland. These researchers will collaborate to develop Switzerland’s first large-scale national AI model, featuring an extensive and diverse dataset, as well as other models to advance research in the field.

Globally, only a few hundred individuals possess the expertise required to build the most advanced AI models, highlighting the significance of this initiative, the universities noted in their press release.

The SNAI will also aim to expand the talent pool in AI by training specialists for both academic and industrial roles, ultimately supporting Switzerland's economy.

Additionally, Switzerland’s new supercomputer, Alps—currently the sixth most powerful in the world—will play a critical role in leveraging AI for scientific projects, further boosting the country’s capabilities.

“The results will strengthen Switzerland’s competitiveness in AI research and development,” said Pierre Dillenbourg, EPFL Vice-President for Academic Affairs. He added that the institute’s efforts will open up new applications that will benefit both Swiss industry and society.

The SNAI will be funded by the ETH Zurich Board, along with financial support from ETH Zurich, EPFL, and third-party contributions.