Resilient Digital Infrastructure

The federal administration has already established a strategic foundation through the mandatory "Schutzbedarfsanalyse" and the DTI’s cloud classification frameworks. Additionally, the promotion of Open Source architectures can help reducing vendor lock-in. Nevertheless, procurement offices still lack harmonized operational metrics and enforcement aids (Vollzugshilfen) to navigate the selection of resilient services for critical workloads. This creates a fragmented landscape where authorities beyond the federal level must balance the risks of cloud and AI adoption without a unified methodology for choosing the right degree of resilience.

In 2027 introduce a legally embedded framework for critical infrastructure and critical public services within procurement processes that defines multiple dimensions of digital resilience requirements.

The framework enables authorities to mandate high-resilience hosting depending on the criticality of data. This includes requirements to demonstrate how dependencies are managed.

Including different dimensions of resilience:

• Strategic resilience

• Legal resilience

• Operational resilience

• Cyberresilience

• Data Encryption

Procurers of critical infrastructure  and critical public service

For an energy-importing nation, maximised energy efficiency of AI datacenters is crucial. The ability to do maximise Compute-Throughput isn't just an environmental goal but rather a prerequisite for technological sovereignty.

Developing a full-stack labeling and disclosure framework covering infrastructure, models, and services.

Switzerland should build on the pioneered SDEA (Swiss Datacenter Efficiency Association) Label, which is supported by the Federal Office of Energy.

Data center operators

AI model providers

To safeguard national digital resilience, Switzerland must secure sufficient domestic compute capacity for its critical workloads. High-density compute is becoming a "strategic constraint". Data centers will soon hit the ceiling of what local power grids can provide. Identifying and then securing the compute and electricity capacity is thus crucial.

By mid 2027, identify and quantify the specific compute and electricity requirements of Switzerland's critical workloads to enable securing sufficient Swiss data center capacity for national digital resilience.

1. Critical workload compute identification

2. Assessing current Swiss data centers to determine how much high-density space (GPUs/HPC) is available

3. Identify the compute gap and translate into the electricity gap needed to cover demand.

Data center operators; Energy grid operators

As the backbone of the AI economy, the demand for local data center capacity is skyrocketing. The development of data center projects can lead to conflicts over land use, grid instability, and missed opportunities for heat recovery. Establishing proactive conditions for spatial planning ensures that infrastructure is built where it is most efficient and least disruptive, providing investment security for developers while protecting community interests.

Establish a comprehensive regulatory and spatial planning framework for the national and cantonal level that identifies "priority zones" for data centers, mandates a minimum energy reuse factor and streamlines the permitting process to reduce lead times.

1. Mapping designated areas with existing high-load power access and proximity to district heating networks to minimize infrastructure build-out.

2. Projects located in these areas undergo "fast-track" mechanisms including Transmission System Operators (TSOs) to ensure grid stability.

3. Facilitate respective energy grid extension and energy allocation in these areas.

Data center operators, Permitting authorities

The e-ID is a key component of Switzerland’s digital transformation. The e-ID is issued by the federal government and can be used by private individuals, authorities and companies.

The further development of the e-ID is to address connection to international trust networks, backup services and the issuance of the e-ID in third-party wallets.

Digital Identities in general will be fundamental to address emerging challenges around AI-driven interactions. As AI agents increasingly act on behalf of individuals and organisations, the question of who controls, and is accountable for, those actions becomes critical.

The aim is to enable Swiss residents and Swiss nationals living abroad to identify themselves securely digitally.

The adoption should be taking place broadly and with a steep uptake and adoption.

The underlying trust infrastructure that enables cryptographic proof of identity and controllership.

State-issued e-ID: digital identity stored in a wallet on the holder's device

Trust infrastructure: decentralised registries and protocols for verifying issuers, holders, and verifiers.

Verifiable credentials: cryptographically signed attestations (diplomas, permits, mandates) presentable without contacting the issuer.

Privacy by design: selective disclosure, data minimisation, zero-knowledge proofs.

Legal framework: BGEID and ordinances, aligned with EU Digital Identity Wallet architecture.

Swiss residents, Swiss nationals abroad

Federal, cantonal & communal authorities

Private-sector service

Providers

AI system operators & deployers