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Dear Reader,

 

The C4DT weekly newsletter brings you a selection of articles or books that interested us.

 

Enjoy reading!

C4DT Team

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Weekly Picks
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Massenüberwachung: Geisterfahrt des Bundesrates endlich stoppen!

Digitale Gesellschaft — 07/05/2026

Linus' take

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Die neue Überwachungsverordnung VÜPF der Schweiz ist ein bisschen überarbeitet worden – aber offenbar nicht genug. Auch wenn ich das Bestehen von Geheimdiensten in manchen Situationen gutheisse, muss deren Arbeit und das Ausmass der Datenquellen verhältnismässig sein. In dieser neuen Verordnung ist das aber nicht gegeben, im Gegenteil: Ausländische Firmen werden gegenüber Schweizer Firmen bevorzugt, da sie dieser Verordnung nicht folgen müssen. So schaffen wir keine digitale Souveränität, sondern erhöhen unsere Abhängigkeit von den grossen Firmen sogar noch!

AI Cost Volatility: A New Risk for Security Leaders

Kudelski Security - Modern CISO blog — 05/05/2026

David's take

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The article is a reminder that the real risk in gen AI is dependency, not just price. If a security team cannot predict the cost or availability of the AI service it depends on, it cannot fully govern that service. And when you cannot govern a tool you depend on, you have a sovereignty problem.

The 2026 AI Index Report

Stanford HAI — 13/04/2026

Olivier's take

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What makes Stanford HAI's AI Index valuable is its data-driven, long-term perspective, which provides a welcome antidote to sensationalist headlines. Key signals: AI capabilities are not plateauing, the US-China gap has closed, and responsible AI is not keeping pace with AI capability. As for Switzerland, it ranks #1 globally in AI talent per capita, yet startup investment lags behind that of global leaders.

Three Inverse Laws of AI

Susam Pal — 01/01/2026

Linus' take

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This blog piece proposes an "inverse" version of Asimov's three laws of robotics. While the original laws were designed to protect humans from harm by robots, these inverse laws are designed to protect us from ourselves by providing guidance on how to interact responsibly with LLM-generated content. At a time when information has never been more abundant or accessible, the risk of uncritical consumption has never been greater.

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Upcoming Events
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2 June 2026: Research Software Engineers (RSE) Suisse Romand Meetup

 

Where? CM 1 105 and CM 1 104, EPFL, Lausanne

 

Time? 9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

 

Why participate?

 

Are you writing software while also conducting research? Reading papers, attending scientific conferences, or publishing research? Then you’re a Research Software Engineer! This gathering brings together RSEs from French-speaking Switzerland for a day of knowledge sharing and networking. Topics will range from coding quality to RSE networks in France, offering valuable insights for software engineers working at the intersection of technology and research. Whether you’re an experienced RSE or just discovering the field, this event provides an excellent opportunity to connect with peers, share experiences, and learn best practices. Participants are also invited to propose talks on relevant topics, making this a community-driven event that welcomes contributions from all attendees.

 

For more information, please click here

 

For registration and talk proposals, please sign up here

 

Note: Talk proposals must be submitted by 17 May 2026. The event agenda will be published during the week of 18 May.

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