Boom AI in Switzerland: opportunities for frontier workers

Context

TL;DR

• Record high for job postings requiring AI skills in Switzerland.
• 25,000 open positions in 2025, +9,000 compared with the previous year.
• 78,500 Italian cross-border workers in Ticino called upon to update their skills.

Key facts

• What: Boom in demand for artificial intelligence skills.
• When: Data referring to 2025, published June 15, 2026.
• Where: Swiss labor market.
• Who: PwC Svizzera (AI Jobs Barometer).
• Amount: 1.8% is the total share of job postings with an AI focus.

Job postings requiring specific artificial intelligence skills have reached a level never recorded before in Switzerland. According to PwC Svizzera's AI Jobs Barometer, released on June 15, 2026, the Swiss market saw a net increase, reaching 25,000 open positions during 2025. This figure represents a significant jump of approximately 9,000 positions compared with the previous year, confirming a trend that, although still accounting for a limited share of 1.8% of total job postings, is radically changing the Swiss employment landscape.

The transformation of the market

It is no longer only a matter of seeking technical specialists to develop new algorithms, but of integrating artificial intelligence into the daily work of various sectors. Adrian Jones, head of the Workforce area at PwC Svizzera, emphasized how AI is changing the way careers begin. Repetitive tasks, once fundamental to the entry of young professionals into the workforce, are now increasingly being delegated to algorithms. As a result, companies are revising their selection criteria, prioritizing abilities such as judgment, adaptability, and leadership from the earliest stages of a career. Since 2019, an average of 248 new skills per role have been introduced in the professions most exposed to AI, demonstrating an unprecedented pace of change that requires constant adaptation from everyone operating in the Swiss market, including the many cross-border workers who cross the border every day to reach their workplaces. The transformation is pervasive and affects sectors far beyond the purely technological sphere.

Operational details

For the approximately 78,562 cross-border workers active in Ticino, the AI phenomenon represents a challenge that intersects with the dynamics of a market—the Swiss market—that has long struggled to find qualified talent locally. The demand for specific skills in sectors such as healthcare, energy and finance offers concrete opportunities. However, there is an inherent vulnerability linked to the speed of change: the risk of falling behind is real if work is not accompanied by a constant commitment to continuing education. An analysis by the Zurich-based consulting firm Kuble, conducted together with Impiegati Svizzera and published on June 16, 2026, found that more than one in four jobs in Switzerland (28%) is highly exposed to AI, while exposure is medium for 34%.

Sectors compared

The impact is not uniform, and the type of profession determines the level of exposure to the risk of automation. Offices are where the transformation is most intense: software developers, cybersecurity experts, system administrators, as well as administrative staff, graphic designers, journalists, translators, and financial or legal advisers are among the profiles most affected. By contrast, construction and crafts are almost entirely spared, while the social sector and healthcare retain relative protection, offering greater stability for those working in these fields on the Italian side of the border. The data show that unemployment is growing more rapidly among the most exposed occupational groups. However, the study's authors warn that this does not mean an automatic disappearance of jobs, but rather a need to transform job duties. For cross-border workers, this translates into the need to valutare le proprie prospettive salariali in a market that rewards those with above-average digital skills, with particularly pronounced wage premiums in the energy and healthcare sectors. Training therefore becomes the primary tool for protecting one's job position and maintaining the competitiveness required by Swiss companies.

Useful tools for your case

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Key points

Continuing education is no longer an option, but a strategic necessity for cross-border workers. A report by the Federal Council adopted on June 5, 2026, on professional reintegration highlighted a significant issue: cross-border workers are often less informed about Swiss institutional channels than residents. The report recalls that unemployment insurance in Switzerland can finance continuing education courses, an essential tool for those who are unemployed or at risk of becoming so due to the automation of work processes. However, the availability of these resources varies depending on the canton, an aspect for which the report indicates the need for improvements and greater uniformity.

What to do in practice

For those working in Ticino, the first step is to assess their position with regard to the new skills required in their sector. It is essential not to limit oneself to daily tasks, but to explore the upskilling opportunities offered by the employer or through cantonal channels. Anyone concerned that their position may be at risk of automation should actively seek information from local authorities or employment advisers about the retraining paths available. It is useful to remember that, although working within a withholding-tax context, the connection with the Swiss labor market entails the need to know one's rights and obligations in terms of social security and assistance. If you find yourself in an uncertain situation, comparing yourself with current job offers can help you understand whether your skills are aligned with market demand. Do not overlook the importance of monitoring official portals for funded training opportunities. For those wishing to assess how a possible change of duties or a promotion based on new skills could affect their payslip, salary calculator is available to provide a clear and immediate estimate of monthly net pay, taking into account the social security and tax withholdings provided for by the Swiss system.

Source: tio.ch