Sunrise will increasingly expand its business-customer operations beyond traditional telecommunications, focusing on cloud services, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence, CEO André Krause said Wednesday during a media event in Zurich.
The company is simultaneously reviewing its operating model and could cut up to 450 positions. "We asked ourselves where we see growth drivers in the business-customer market," Krause told AWP news agency. "That is less about classical connectivity and increasingly about cloud, security and AI."
Krause stressed that the restructuring goes beyond mere cost cuts. "We are asking: What will Sunrise look like in the future?" All business processes, the systems supporting them and the internal and external resources required are under examination. Lower costs are one aim, but unlocking new business opportunities is another.
He acknowledged that the dual role of AI—as both a growth sector and a tool for automation—would affect existing jobs. However, he ruled out a largely staff-free operator. "I rule that out for Sunrise," he said, adding that human contact and personal consultation would continue to differentiate the company from competitors.
Simple business models, by contrast, can already run with very few employees. Krause pointed to Sunrise subsidiary CH Mobile, which operates with only two or three staff members. When a product is sold primarily through a digital interface and customer service is largely automated, staffing needs approach a minimum.
"The simpler the business, the fewer people it needs to operate. The more complex the customer needs become, the more employees you still need," Krause said.
He expects a shift in types of work rather than outright elimination across the board. "There are areas that will not exist tomorrow in their current form. They will evolve into other forms," he said. The decisive factor will be how employees adapt to the technology. "Humans will not be replaced by AI, but by a human who uses AI."
