Ep. 52 (AI Futures) - Switzerland 2027: Is a Global AI Treaty Possible? Amb. Thomas Schneider with Anirudh Suri

In this episode of the *AI Futures* podcast, host Anirudh Suri sits down with *Ambassador Thomas Schneider* who led the negotiations for the *world's first binding international treaty on Artificial Intelligence.* Ambassador Schneider shares his views on how Switzerland is adopting a decentralised, bottoms up approach to devising its AI strategy, unlike other countries that have a top-down, centralised approach, and what AI for good really means. As the person who will also be helping put together the 2027 Switzerland AI Summit, he also shares how Switzerland is planning to leverage its "trusted hub" reputation in the world of AI as well.

We explore:

- How can a small country compete with AI giants like the US and China? Discover why Switzerland doesn't have one single, centralised "AI strategy" and how they use an "agile ecosystem" to stay ahead.

- Is a global treaty on AI actually possible? Hear from the person who negotiated with 55 countries to create shared AI rules for a fragmented world.

- Will AI take our jobs in the next five years? We discuss the risk of 10% to 20% of office jobs being displaced and which skills humans must keep for themselves.

- Who is responsible when AI goes wrong? We explore the idea of "liability" and why companies should pay for the risks they create.

- In a world optimized for efficiency, how do we ensure ecologically responsible energy choices?

- How can we avoid some of the same mistakes made during the Industrial Revolution that are causing an ecological crisis now?

---

The AI Futures Podcast series, hosted by Anirudh Suri, is organized in collaboration with the *Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India* as the intellectual prelude to the India AI Impact Summit 2026 being held from Feb 16 - 20, 2026 in New Delhi, India.

Follow the India AI Impact Summit 2026: https://impact.indiaai.gov.in/

Whether you are a student, a policymaker, or just curious about the future of AI, this conversation breaks down the complex world of AI into lessons we can all understand.

---

*About Thomas Schneider*

Thomas Schneider is Ambassador and Director of International Affairs at the Swiss Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM) in the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC). He is a long-standing expert in digital governance and in the governance of the information and knowledge society and artificial intelligence. He led the negotiations for the Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence, adopted in 2024 as the world's first legally binding international treaty on AI.

*About Anirudh Suri, Host of the Podcast*

Anirudh Suri is a non-resident scholar with Carnegie India, where his research and writing focus on technology, artificial intelligence and geopolitics. He is the author of The Great Tech Game: Shaping Geopolitics and the Destinies of Nations, and host of The Great Tech Game Podcast. He is also the Managing Partner at India Internet Fund, a US and India based technology-focused venture capital fund. Previously, Anirudh has worked with the Government of India in New Delhi, McKinsey and Co in New York, Goldman Sachs in London, the Carnegie Endowment in Washington DC, and China Institute of International Studies in Beijing.

He completed his MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and his MPA from the Harvard Kennedy School. Named a Goldman Sachs Global Leader, Anirudh has also served on the Board of the Harvard Alumni Association.

The Great Tech Game by Anirudh Suri - https://amzn.eu/d/1Su38My

Follow Anirudh here:

X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/anirudhsuri

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anirudhsuri/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anirudh_suri

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnirudhSuri.in

Website: (http://www.anirudhsuri.com/)

Book and Podcast: (http://www.greattechgame.com/)

#IndiaAI #IndiaAIImpactSummit2026 #AIFuturesPodcast #AnirudhSuri #ThomasSchneider