Internet Archive Switzerland Launches in St. Gallen to Tackle AI Preservation and Endangered Archives

The Internet Archive has officially established Internet Archive Switzerland, a new non-profit foundation headquartered in St. Gallen. This independent entity is designed to operate autonomously within the Swiss national context while remaining aligned with the broader mission of the global Internet Archive network. The launch marks a significant expansion of the organisation's footprint, joining existing mission-aligned libraries such as Internet Archive Canada and Internet Archive Europe to create a distributed and resilient digital library for the world.

The new foundation will initially prioritise two critical areas: the preservation of endangered archives from around the globe and the collection of the current wave of generative AI models. By focusing on these specific domains, Internet Archive Switzerland aims to address emerging challenges in digital preservation, particularly the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence. This strategic focus ensures that the organisation remains at the forefront of safeguarding knowledge as it transforms in the 21st century.

A key component of this initiative is a formal collaboration with the School of Computer Science at the University of St. Gallen. The partnership will lead the Gen AI Archive project, which aims to begin the systematic archiving of AI models. This academic alliance leverages the university's strong research environment to tackle the technical complexities of preserving digital intelligence, marking an emerging frontier for the preservation sector.

Roman Griesfelder has been appointed as the executive director of Internet Archive Switzerland and will guide the foundation's operations. Speaking on the strategic location of the new base, Griesfelder noted that St. Gallen offers a unique combination of stability and innovation. He highlighted the city's thousand-year tradition of archiving and scholarship as a fitting home for this next phase of digital preservation, embedded in a deep understanding of the importance of cultural heritage.

The choice of St. Gallen was deliberate, capitalising on the city's long-standing academic environment and historical commitment to scholarship. This location provides an ideal setting to establish a 21st-century memory organisation that can effectively manage the complexities of modern digital assets. The strong local academic infrastructure supports the foundation's goal of taking the preservation of universal knowledge a step further.

Looking ahead, Internet Archive Switzerland plans to participate in a UNESCO conference scheduled for November 2026 in Paris. The organisation intends to use this platform to discuss the protection of endangered archives and share insights gained from its initial work. This upcoming engagement underscores the foundation's commitment to international cooperation and the broader discourse on safeguarding global knowledge.