Open AI is worth a trillion dollars – but in Zurich, the company has now registered as a small firm

OpenAI, with a market valuation of one trillion dollars, is registered in Zurich only as a small company. An analysis of job advertisements and commercial register entries shows that Anthropic also has little presence in Switzerland.

Open AI is worth a trillion dollars – yet in Zurich, the corporation has now registered as a small company

Zurich, October 2, 2026 – Although the US AI pioneer Open AI is considered a giant on the global market with a valuation of one trillion US dollars, the company has so far only registered as a small company in Zurich. This discrepancy between global market valuation and local presence raises questions about the actual growth strategy in Switzerland, especially since competitors like Anthropic, despite high expectations for expansion, have left hardly any traces in the local labor market or official registers. An analysis of job advertisements and commercial register entries proves that the vision that these tech giants could one day reach the scale of Meta or Google in Switzerland remains a future prospect for now.

Switzerland has long positioned itself as an attractive location for technology companies, not least due to its stable economy, highly qualified workforce, and a strong research landscape, particularly in the field of Artificial Intelligence. Universities such as ETH Zurich are among the world's leading addresses in AI research, which makes the potential for cooperation and talent recruitment appear considerable. For MBA students and graduates seeking a career in the tech sector, especially in the promising fields of AI, seemingly promising opportunities could open up here. However, the current situation suggests that direct entry points at the global heavyweights in Switzerland are still limited, and proactive engagement in the startup ecosystem or with established local tech firms might be more sensible for gaining experience in the AI sector.

Regional opportunities for top talent

This observation is also relevant for educational institutions and the training of executives. MBA programs are increasingly emphasizing the teaching of knowledge in digitalization and Artificial Intelligence to prepare graduates for the demands of the modern labor market. The low presence of Open AI and Anthropic in Switzerland could mean that direct access to these companies is more difficult. This underscores the importance of networks and internships at local tech firms that may act as suppliers, partners, or users of AI technologies. For MBA graduates with an entrepreneurial spirit, a niche could also emerge in building spin-offs or startups that benefit from the availability of highly qualified AI experts in Switzerland and develop innovative applications.

The reluctance of global AI giants to build significant operational units in Switzerland could have various reasons, ranging from strategic decisions about the concentration of development teams to regulatory or tax considerations. Regardless of the exact motives, current developments show that expectations for rapid, massive growth of these companies in the DACH region may need to be adjusted. For aspiring executives in the technology sector, this means they should show flexibility and also look for career opportunities beyond the big names that allow them to apply and further develop their MBA-acquired skills in the context of Artificial Intelligence.