As artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes development co-operation, Switzerland’s Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) adopted a Working Aid on AI, ensuring alignment with national strategies and international standards. By recognising the potential of AI as well as its risks for development co-operation and humanitarian assistance, SDC’s framework sets out principles and actions for responsible AI use in its processes and operations. The framework is enabling SDC and Swiss Representations to embrace and operationalise AI in an aligned and coherent direction.
Switzerland’s efforts towards responsible use of AI in international co‑operation
Abstract
Artificial intelligence is transforming how public institutions make decisions, operate, and engage with partners. At the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), AI initiatives were scattered, especially at the country level, and staff capacity was limited, as most employees had little to no experience in AI. The agency also lacked unified principles or guidance to steer funding, policy dialogue and internal use of AI tools. To overcome these challenges, SDC developed a practical framework for responsible, coherent use of AI, aligned with national and international standards, to maximise its potential for decision making, efficiency, cost-effectiveness, innovation and global leadership.
SDC’s Working Aid on AI, approved in 2025, is grounded in Switzerland’s International Co-operation Strategy 2025-2028. This practical framework guides all staff on responsible adoption of AI across the entire portfolio and diverse SDC’s roles. SDC’s approach involved:
Mapping AI use in international co-operation and assessing risk and opportunities for its adoption. In 2023, the SDC’s peace, governance and equality (PGE) section commissioned two backstopping studies from the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) for AI use in development co-operation and humanitarian assistance. It also mapped upskilling opportunities on AI literacy, data protection and existing regulations, as well as major provider-supported projects in international co-operation working with and on AI.
Establishing principles for responsible AI. Drawing on the SWOT analysis, the 2024 Council of Europe’s Framework Convention on AI and the OECD AI principles, the Working Aid framework outlines ten guiding principles for responsible AI. These are: “do no harm” and “go slowly by design”; human oversight; participation and inclusion of affected communities; localising AI to avoid dependency on foreign companies; debiasing datasets; data integrity and ethical sourcing; decent work in the AI supply chain; reducing climate impact; transparency and accountability; and internal oversight for AI tools applicable to SDC (see Infographic 1).
Identifying and clarifying institutional roles to engage with AI. The AI framework defines four roles for SDC: funding operational AI projects (AI provider), influencing AI global policies and partnerships (co-operation partner), providing sectoral advice to SDC’s units and Swiss Representations (thematic adviser), and embedding AI into knowledge management (knowledge broker).
Co-ordinating across SDC and beyond. SDC created an AI Task Force with focal points across divisions to align efforts on five workstreams: AI integration in operations, staff skills gaps, data/IT infrastructure, AI governance/policy, and networking. SDC also contributes to the whole-of-government working group connecting development co-operation and humanitarian perspectives to broader AI initiatives, like the diverse global AI Summits. Chaired by the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) State Secretary, the working group followed Switzerland’s Digital Foreign Policy Strategy 2021-2024 and brings together several line ministries, including Defence, Economy, Environment, Home Affairs, and Justice.
Source: Based on SDC (2025), Working Aid on Artificial Intelligence (AI), https://www.sdc-pge.ch/en/tools-digital-governance.
The Working Aid's sector-specific guidance for development and humanitarian efforts has yielded the following results so far:
Supporting AI as a public good by addressing digital divides and AI capacities of the Global South. SDC funds AI-related projects in areas such as climate forecasting (Indonesia, Laos), child health diagnostics (Tanzania, Rwanda), and media development and disinformation (core contributions to Foundation Hirondelle in Myanmar). As a member of the International Computation and AI Network (ICAIN), Switzerland is boosting AI access and knowledge sharing with developing countries.
Ensuring coherent and principled engagement on AI. The AI Working Aid outlines foreign policy messages on AI for responsible, locally led and inclusive AI adoption, aligning approaches and ensuring internal coherence. The FDFA is actively fostering bilateral and multilateral AI dialogues and partnerships, including the annual AI for Good Global Summit in Geneva. Through its participation in and chairing of the DAC Network on Governance (GovNet), SDC contributes to key discussions on Governance and digital transformation, and actively participates in an OECD DAC AI peer learning circle.
Integrating responsible use of AI into operations. SDC requires staff and partners to refer to and use the Working Aid in project documents and internal financing request processes. New partnerships and funding involving AI have recently been approved, such as the Peace Navigator developed by Principles for Peace, or are in the process of being approved, such as the AI Hub dedicated to Governance within the AI for Development (AI4D) programme.
Allocating human resources and upskilling staff. Following the adoption of SDC’s first AI Action Plan in March 2026, the AI Task Force is becoming an AI Network comprised of four staff who regularly dedicate part of their time to AI within their existing positions. The network also counts with wider support from one staff member per SDC division. Since 2025, basic AI training is available for the entire Swiss Federal Administration. The Working Aid also provides a separate list of external AI courses specific to development and humanitarian practitioners.
Embedding AI into internal processes and promoting internal adoption. SDC is also tracking AI projects and integrating AI tools into existing internal workflows, including project cycle management. A pilot for Switzerland’s Biennial Transparency Report on climate action used AI to identify technology transfer and capacity building components across SDC's project portfolio, by analysing project descriptions and assigning them a relevant topic automatically.
Dare to start, seek internal buy-in and refine along the way. Start small with a single proposal developing a concrete AI framework, then engage other units. Once in place, the Working Aid framework triggered collaboration across SDC by facilitating participation, collecting feedback and building internal support over time for further refinement.
Treat AI adoption as a process, keeping pace with fast-evolving technological developments. Prioritise SWOT analyses, clear principles and practical guidance for AI adoption. Testing low-risk applications and monitoring global trends allowed SDC to refine the AI framework, recognising that staying on the sidelines of AI adoption carries its own risks.
Match resources and skills for AI adoption. Allocate dedicated staff time to drive AI initiatives. Prioritise practical, role-specific AI literacy, as most staff need clear guidance for day-to-day use, while more advanced expertise can be developed progressively where demand emerges.
Manage risk through learning and adaptation. Allow time to integrate AI-related risks and opportunities into context and political economy analyses, internal piloting and progressive upscaling, using learnings from AI deployment. Broad consultation – from the political level to headquarters and country offices – helped build legitimacy and alignment.
Embed AI within whole-of-government co-ordination from the outset. Integrating AI into international co-operation needs to fit in broader AI governance processes. Co-ordination mechanisms, such as inter-ministerial working groups, can help align strategy, policy and operations, strengthen coherence, make better use of limited resources and support uptake. Sharing the SDC Working Aid across government helped other departments move forward, supported by Switzerland’s growing and evolving enabling environment for AI adoption.
Leverage existing AI expertise and partnerships. Drawing on expertise across government, private sector and academia supports AI adoption. External experts helped navigate technical complexity, while staff ensured compliance with organisational strategy and mandates. Engaging with international AI networks, such as the OECD and AI summits, along with peer exchanges with other development co-operation providers, helps build collective intelligence and fosters partnerships. Most of these efforts require more time than financial resources.
SDC (2025), Working Aid on Artificial Intelligence (AI), https://www.sdc-pge.ch/en/tools-digital-governance.
SDC (2025), Switzerland’s international cooperation strategy 2025-2028, https://www.deza.eda.admin.ch/en/switzerlands-international-cooperation-strategy-2025-2028.
Federal Chancellery (2025), Strategy for the Use of AI Systems in the Federal Administration, , https://www.bk.admin.ch/en/use-of-ai-systems.
Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (2020), Digital Foreign Policy Strategy 2021–24, https://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/fdfa/fdfa/publikationen.html/content/publikationen/en/eda/schweizer-aussenpolitik/Digitalaussenpolitik_2021-2024.
OECD (forthcoming), AI adoption in development co-operation systems: From experimentation to institutional design, OECD Artificial Intelligence Papers, OECD Publishing, Paris.
OECD (2025), OECD Development Co-operation Peer Reviews: Switzerland 2025, OECD Development Co-operation Peer Reviews, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/b83b7007-en.
OECD (2025), Governing with Artificial Intelligence - The State of Play and Way Forward in Core Government Functions, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/governing-with-artificial-intelligence_795de142-en.html.
OECD (2024), Recommendation of the Council on Artificial Intelligence, https://legalinstruments.oecd.org/en/instruments/oecd-legal-0449.
To learn more about Switzerland’s development co-operation, see:
OECD, “Switzerland”, Development Co-operation Profiles, OECD Publishing, Paris.
More In Practice examples from Switzerland are available on Development Co-operation TIPs • Tools Insights Practices.
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