In only a few years, artificial intelligence (AI) has evolved into a key technology. It is onmipresent in our daily lives and offers the potential to deeply change all areas of life and to redefine productivity and value creation.
A new study from smzh, "The Productivity Code," analyzes how far advanced these changes already are, and explores the conditions that lead to sustainable productivity gains.
The expansion of digital infrastructure has gained significant momentum in recent years. In the race for computing power, access to energy, and data capacity, investment volumes in data centers in the US are now approaching those of traditional office real estate.
At the same time, AI has become a dominant topic in economic discussions. AI is increasingly seen as a key technology for growth and competitiveness.
Despite this boom, the productivity gains of AI are barely visible and measurable so far. There still is quite a clear discrepancy between technological progress and real economic impact. "The Productivity Code" explores the reasons for this discrepancy.
1. The current phase of artificial intelligence is marked by record-high infrastructure investments.
Significant investments in energy, data centers, and computing capacity are accelerating the expansion of the digital foundation and paving the way for the next wave of productivity.
2. Technological progress is shifting from pure scaling to broader economic use.
Declining costs, more powerful models, and open systems are enabling the widespread integration of AI into productive applications.
3. The expected productivity gains are significant, but develop with a lag and, for now, are distributed unevenly.
As with previous technological shifts, measurable effects depend more on implementation within companies than on mere technological availability.
4. Sustainable productivity gains require profound organizational adjustments.
Successful implementation is characterized by integration into core processes, central steering, and systematic measurement of success.
5. From a structural point of view, Switzerland is among the economies exhibiting particularly high AI productivity potential.
A knowledge-intensive economic structure, high wages, and an innovation-driven environment foster an above-average productive use of AI.
"We are convinced that those who do not actively manage AI will be managed by it. That’s why we are integrating it into our value proposition responsibly, over the long term, and with a clear strategic direction.”
Gzim Hasani, CEO
"We recognize that strong investor interest in AI can lead to concentrated positions. That is why, in our portfolios, we focus on broad opportunity capture and targeted risk management."
Bekim Laski, Chief Investment Officer & Partner
"Those who continually develop their skills, build financial reserves, and plan their future in a structured way will be best positioned to take advantage of technological change while better cushioning its risks.”
Burak Er, Head Research & Advisory Solutions
"Our goal is to leverage technology so that it streamlines and structures internal operations, while delivering concrete, measurable value for our clients.”
Nick Stöckl, Head of Platforms Development
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