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The Innovation Sandbox for Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a test environment for the implementation of AI projects. It is designed to promote responsible innovation by allowing public administration and participating organizations to collaborate closely on regulatory issues and enabling the use of new data sources.
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Sandbox: A Test Environment for AI Innovation
Due to the rapid pace of technological progress, the regulatory environment for AI technologies is often unclear for businesses, research institutions, and public administrations. As a result, uncertainties arise when implementing AI projects, which can hinder innovation. The Innovation Sandbox provides a testing environment where stakeholders can carry out AI initiatives within a clearly defined framework.
Start-ups, SMEs, large enterprises, and research institutes gain access to regulatory expertise and novel data sources through the sandbox, enabling them to foster innovation and support data-driven developments. Collaborative work within the sandbox also ensures effective knowledge transfer between participating organisations. All insights and results are shared publicly and serve as valuable input for shaping future legal frameworks.
Unlike many international approaches, the Innovation Sandbox for AI goes one step further: submitted projects are not only reviewed but also implemented in practice.
The goal is to promote responsible innovation that takes legal and ethical considerations into account, and to sustainably strengthen the use of AI in public administration, business, and research.
Goals
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- Provide regulatory clarity
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- Foster innovation and offer access to data
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- Ensure knowledge transfer
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- Deliver input for future legal frameworks
Our partners
A broad-based group of institutions and individuals from the public sector, academia and the private sector has come together to launch the Sandbox Initiative. The aim is to strengthen the region’s position as a hub for artificial intelligence innovation. The initiative will receive significant financial support from the Zurich Metropolitan Area until mid-2026. Based on the cantonal government’s decision to 'strengthen the AI hub', the Office for Economic Affairs will continue to run the AI Innovation Sandbox from 2026 to 2029.
The following institutions are represented:
- Division of Business and Economic Development within the Office for Economy of the Canton of Zurich
- Office for Economy, Canton of Schwyz
- Statistical Office Canton of Zurich
- Digital Administration and E-Government, Chancellery of the Canton of Zurich
- Zurich Metropolitan Area
- ETH AI Center
- UZH Center for Information Technology, Society, and Law (ITSL)
- UZH Digital Society Initiative (DSI)
- swissICT
- ZHAW digital
- Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts
Sandbox team
We are an interdisciplinary team. Depending on the project requirements, we work with a network of external service providers.
Publications
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Contact
Office for Economy – Business and Economic Development Division
Monday to Friday
8 a.m. to 12 a.m.
1.30 p.m. to 5 p.m.
