The guidelines on artificial intelligence for the Confederation are used and are still relevant. OFCOM reached this conclusion in its evaluation in autumn 2022. It found that there was no need to adapt the guidelines. The next assessment is planned for 2024.
In November 2020, the Federal Council adopted the Guidelines on Artificial Intelligence for the Confederation. The seven guidelines in total provide the Federal Administration and the agencies entrusted with performing administrative tasks for the Confederation with a general frame of reference and aim to ensure a coherent policy on AI.
The application and relevance of the guidelines were reviewed for the first time in 2022. The Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM) conducted a survey within the Federal Administration and invited the agencies concerned to report on the application of the guidelines and to identify any areas where they need to be amended.
This survey revealed there is a high level of awareness of the AI guidelines at the Federal Administration and that they are taken into account and applied by employees who work on AI (i.e. the use of AI, at regulatory level, etc.). The guidelines are useful as a general frame of reference on the use of AI at the Confederation and there is currently no need to amend or update them.
However, it seems that more in-depth discussion of the guidelines and their specific application within the Confederation would be beneficial. OFCOM will use the Administrative Committee of the ‘Plateforme Tripartite’ for this purpose. The Competence Network for Artificial Intelligence (CNAI) at the Confederation can also contribute towards raising awareness of the guidelines. The specialist legal affairs group ('Knotenpunkt Recht'), which supports the ‘Plateforme Tripartite’ and CNAI as an expert group on legal matters, will also apply the guidelines in relation to legal requirements in AI projects and contribute towards their implementation.
In view of the rapid pace of technological development, the guidelines must be kept current and applicable. In accordance with the Federal Council’s mandate, OFCOM – in cooperation with the federal agencies concerned – will carry out another evaluation of the guidelines in 2024. Until then OFCOM will monitor the development and application of AI and – together with the Federal Office of Justice and the FDFA’s Directorate of International Law – will continue to keep track of the regulation of AI at national and international level. OFCOM, in collaboration with the other federal agencies concerned, will also work towards developing an appropriate international framework for AI.
Contact/Queries:
Federal Office of Communication OFCOM
Press service
+41 58 460 55 50, media@bakom.admin.ch
Further information
Leitlinien künstliche Intelligenz für den Bund (only in german)
Last modification 14.12.2022
