“Artificial Intelligence” in Switzerland 2024: Rapid Diffusion and Increasing Digital Inequality

New publications on techno-religion, human augmentation technologies, internet use in Switzerland

Vortragsreihe: Wie Digitalisierung und Künstliche Intelligenz unsere Gesellschaft verändern

Daniela Jaramillo-Dent wins Best Seminar Award for outstanding teaching

Generative AI is Taking Over Everyday Life in Switzerland: From Experimentation to Regular Use

Michael Reiss successfully defended his cumulative dissertation  

Two Awards at SACM 2025 for the Media Change and Innovation Division

Internet Use as Everyday Religion on the Rise, Cyborgization Still in its Early Stages

Kiran Kappeler successfully defended her dissertation

The idea of using the entire internet as a basis for AI training data represents an unimaginable technical effort with questionable benefits for the quality of the respective models, yet there are developers of generative AI systems who claim to have done precisely that – naturally without asking permission of the rights holders of the media content used, let alone sharing any profits with them.

Together, we are developing a tool that will bring public data closer to citizens, allowing them to get data by simply asking a question.
The post Brazil and OKFN partner to enable citizens to ‘talk’ to national data first appeared on Open Knowledge Blog.

The systems that govern speech online were not built for Arabic-speaking users. Women across the Arab world are paying the consequences.

Aliya Nasif was campaigning for re-election to the Iraqi parliament in October 2025, when someone used AI face-substitution tools to superimpose her face onto the body of a Ukrainian dancer in a video originally posted to TikTok in 2023. The resulting clip, framed as a pornographic scandal, was posted to X. 

WWie lässt sich technologische Innovation so gestalten, dass ethische Verantwortung nicht auf der Strecke bleibt? Das bidt-Projekt „Ethik in der agilen Softwareentwicklung“ (EDAP) hat dafür nicht nur Problembewusstsein geschaffen, sondern konkrete Antworten entwickelt. Statt Ethik als nachgelagerte Prüfung oder moralischen Zusatz zu verstehen, rückte EDAP sie dorthin, wo über digitale Systeme tatsächlich entschieden wird: in den Entwicklungsprozess selbst.

By Rok Kranjc

Two senior leaders from the Gates Foundation’s Africa team, Matshidiso Masire and Bahati Ngongo, visited the Policy Innovation Lab at Stellenbosch University to explore how the Foundation’s catalytic funding is unlocking further investment and impact. The visit also examined how the supported work is enabling practical learning between countries in the Global South.
Digital public infrastructure and South-South learning

On International Archives Day, June 9, 2026, the University Archives (N.0.55) will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. to answer your questions!
You’ve been carrying around questions about the University Archives for a long time that you’ve never dared to ask: What does a university archive do? What happens in the university archives? Why are university archives needed? Who hands over what to whom, when, and why?
Come to the University Archives’ Open Day and get answers to all these questions!
We look forward to your visit!
 

Location: Remote or hybrid, depending on your location.
Commitment: Part-time
Start Date: Immediately
Compensation: Negotiable.
 
About the Role

Frühling im Wald: Viele Insekten, vor allem Raupen, schlüpfen genau dann, wenn die nährstoffreichen Blätter der Bäume noch jung und weich sind. So finden sie einen reich gedeckten Tisch und können direkt mit dem Fressen anfangen.
Werden Eichen in einem Jahr stark von Raupen befallen, reagieren sie darauf im folgenden Frühjahr: Sie verzögern dann ihren Blattaustrieb um drei Tage. Für die Raupen ist das ungünstig. Sie stehen nach dem Schlüpfen wortwörtlich vor leeren Tellern, weil die Eichenblätter noch fest in den Knospen verborgen sind.

Gut möglich, dass in naher Zukunft Menschen einer KI ihre Symptome schildern müssen, bevor sie einen Arzttermin erhalten. Die KI entscheidet dann, ob es sich um einen Notfall handelt oder ob die Behandlung noch warten kann, und vergibt dementsprechend Termine.

Les Actes de la Conférence Cyberjustice Europe 2025, tenue le 3 décembre dernier à Strasbourg, sont désormais disponibles dès maintenant.