Government & NPO

Digital Excellence Award

Short description

The Innovation Sandbox for Artificial Intelligence is a groundbreaking innovation promotion programme run by the Office for Economic Affairs of the Canton of Zurich. Since 2021, it has been bringing together public administrations, companies and universities in a unique testing and learning space where technological, regulatory and social challenges relating to AI are addressed jointly.
The focus is not on theory, but on the concrete implementation of AI projects: In the first phase, five pioneering projects were implemented – from smart parking and autonomous systems in agriculture to AI in education. Current projects include AI-generated medical reports, automated building permit procedures and the detection of deepfakes. The project team clarifies legal issues, enables data access via administrative partners and documents all findings in publicly accessible best practice reports.
The Sandbox provides practical impetus for the further development of the AI legal framework and has established itself as a model for national strategies and international cooperation. Its impact extends beyond the boundaries of the project: it builds trust, accelerates innovation and lays the foundation for a responsible digital future.

Jury Statement

The AI Sandbox of the Office for Economic Affairs of the Canton of Zurich offers companies and start-ups a secure testing environment in which to try out innovative AI technologies. It promotes exchange between business, science and administration and supports projects with practical data and use cases. The sandbox has delivered impressive results, with eleven successful projects and over 20 participating administrations and universities. The bottom-up approach builds trust in AI technologies and provides regulatory impetus. All findings are shared transparently – a beacon for digital innovation with a lasting social impact.