Artificial Intelligence: a revolution that businesses cannot ignore

According to recent research examining the spread of Artificial Intelligence in the Swiss corporate sector, AI is becoming deeply embedded within business operations, particularly in highly digitised industries. Professor Peter Gruber, Academic Director of the Master in Financial Technology and Computing at USI, recently shared his insights on this trend in an interview published by Corriere del Ticino.

The findings, published by the economic news agency AWP Finanznachrichten AG and UBS, reveal a significant surge in AI use among Swiss companies. In the financial statements of major listed corporations, references to "artificial intelligence" appear eight times more frequently than they did two years ago. Furthermore, around 60% of firms surveyed by UBS state that they already deploy AI-based tools, primarily for data analysis, decision support, and product and service enhancements.

Commenting on these developments, Prof. Peter Gruber, who also teaches at the Faculty of Economics, notes that the phenomenon is poised for exponential growth. "The future of artificial intelligence within companies obviously depends on the specific field of application," he says. "However, in any sector driven by data processing or information production, the role of AI will undoubtedly expand over the next 10 to 20 years." In these contexts, he adds, "describing this as a revolution is by no means an exaggeration."

According to Gruber, one of the most striking aspects of the current technological shift is the sheer velocity of its rollout. "While technological progress often catches people by surprise, the current pace is unprecedented." Nevertheless, the USI expert urges organisations to view this evolution primarily as an opportunity. "AI will not steal our jobs, but someone who knows how to use AI better than us might," he observes, pointing out that technological breakthroughs have historically reshaped the labour market. "AI should be seen as an opportunity—even as a chance to engage in more interesting work."

The greater risk, according to Gruber, lies with those who choose to ignore these advancements. "I believe that ignoring the development of artificial Intelligence is not a viable option. Both businesses and individuals must continuously stay informed, upskill, and expand their AI competencies. Those who fail to do so risk being left behind." From this perspective, data management and digitisation become urgent strategic priorities. "It is essential to organise data effectively," the USI expert explains. "Therefore, the primary challenge is digitisation; ensuring all relevant information is readily accessible to AI systems."

Looking at the national landscape, Gruber believes Switzerland is well-positioned to navigate this transformation, provided there is sustained investment in education and critical thinking skills. Indeed, a main challenge will be developing the ability to verify AI-generated data rigorously. "The majority of current AI users probably do not check the outputs. But it is absolutely necessary. This is why targeted training is vital; knowing how to validate results is indispensable today."

The full interview, conducted by Dario Campione for Corriere del Ticino, is available online at this link (Italian only).