Six out of ten Swiss companies use AI

Most Swiss companies use AI Keystone-SDA

Six out of ten Swiss companies are using artificial intelligence (AI), according to a study by UBS bank.

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The technology is generally viewed positively. Few companies, however, see it as a substitute for employees.

“Many companies are using AI, but few are doing so systematically”, explains Alessandro Bee, economist at UBS, commenting on a survey by the major bank published on Tuesday. Small companies are using AI mainly for analysis purposes, while in large companies, the automation of business processes is the most cited application.

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On average, companies see AI more as an opportunity than a risk. Thanks to this technology, significant productivity gains can be achieved.

In terms of risks, the main concerns relate to data protection and security, as well as the fear of inaccurate decisions linked to inaccurate algorithms or data.

Just over half of the companies surveyed want to increase their use of AI over the next five years, or adopt it for the first time. “However, almost a third of all companies are not using AI today and have no plans to do so in the coming years,” says Pascal Zumbühl, economist at UBS.

Little risk to employment

In the public debate, AI is often associated with fears of a sharp fall in employment. However, these concerns are not shared by the companies surveyed. Around 30% of companies currently using AI anticipate a fall in employment linked to this technology, while around 15% expect an increase.

More than half of companies expect employment to remain stable. For two-thirds of companies, AI is helping to lighten the workload of their employees. Only 10% see it as a substitute for employees.

In 2026, however, the Swiss labour market should be more influenced by economic trends than by AI, concludes Switzerland’s largest bank.

The survey was conducted by UBS and the market research institute Intervista among around 2,500 Swiss companies.

Adapted from French by AI/mga

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