AI can help prepare a formal will. It is useful for clarifying your wishes, identifying open questions, and preparing for your appointment. It does not draft the final deed.
In Switzerland, a formal will, also known as a public will, is executed by a public official, usually a notary. Two witnesses must also be present. Silex helps you review documents, cross-reference them with the law, and prepare for your appointment.
In short: what the AI should produce
Effective use goes beyond just "writing a will." It aims to create a working document for the notary: an outline of your wishes, heirs, legacies, obligations, and executor; a summary of your family and financial situation; any remaining open questions, forced heirship, gifts, and assets held abroad; the documents to gather for the appointment; and a comparison of versions if multiple drafts exist.
A generated text is not a public will. A printed PDF is not a holographic will. Signing an AI draft does not create a legal document.
The Swiss framework, in a nutshell
A holographic will must be written entirely by hand. It must be dated and signed by the testator.
A public will is different. The public official drafts the document. The testator reads and signs it. The official dates and signs it. Two witnesses attest that the testator has declared the document contains their wishes and appears to be of sound mind. Articles 499 et seq. of the Swiss Civil Code.
Witnesses must not be relatives or beneficiaries. They do not need to know the contents of the will. Sources: Fedlex and ch.ch – wills and inheritance agreements.
What to ask the tool
Ask for a structured output, not a long "ready-to-sign" text. Family: spouse, children, blended family, matrimonial regime. Wishes: who inherits, who receives a legacy, who is responsible for what. Executor: yes or no, and based on what criteria.
Sensitive points: forced heirship, previous gifts, business interests, assets abroad. Discrepancies: two versions of a draft that say different things. Questions for the notary: what remains to be decided during the appointment. Distinguish between what the client said and what the AI added. Without this separation, the draft is dangerous. See AI legal analysis.
Documents to gather before your appointment
Identity and civil status: marriage, divorce, partnership. Marriage contract, if applicable. Intended next of kin and beneficiaries. Real estate deeds, bank statements, insurance policies, and pension plans. Existing wills or agreements. Previous known donations.
AI can index these documents. It does not replace professional advice regarding forced heirship or matrimonial regimes.
Questions the AI should flag
Are there a spouse and descendants with protected shares? Since 2023, parents no longer have a protected share. Could an intended beneficiary serve as a witness? Generally, no. Does an account or policy already have a designated beneficiary outside of the will?
Is an executor needed, especially if conflict is likely? Are filing and registration with the Central Registry of Wills (RCT) planned? Would an inheritance agreement be more suitable than a unilateral will?
The AI raises these questions. It does not calculate a "due share" as if it were a court judgment.
What the AI cannot do
It cannot receive a will in place of a public official. It cannot act as a witness. It cannot assess testamentary capacity. It cannot convert a printed text into a holographic will. It cannot register the document with the RCT. It cannot choose between a holographic will, a public deed, or an inheritance agreement for you.
A public chatbot is not a suitable environment for personal instructions. See ChatGPT vs Silex, Notary AI and Notarial AI.
Public deed, holographic, or agreement?
Holographic: simpler, but more prone to formal errors. Useful for very straightforward provisions.
Public / authentic: more secure. Useful if the file is complex, if writing is difficult, or if you want a notarial framework.
Inheritance agreement: always authentic. It is based on an agreement. It cannot be revoked unilaterally like a will.
AI can clarify these options. The choice remains professional. For individuals: Legal AI for individuals. Understanding is not the same as having valid legal standing.
6-step method
First, collect: family, assets, wishes, and documents. Then, structure: disposition plan and outstanding points. Next, flag: reserved portions, witnesses, and discrepancies between versions. Then, prepare: questions and documents for the appointment.
Then validate: the notary corrects and prepares the deed. Finally, execute: reading, signatures, witnesses, and filing. Without AI.
AI accelerates collection, structuring, flagging, and preparation. Starting August 26, 2026, Silo will allow you to query these documents within Silex and trace them back to the source. A file analysis agent, available soon, will provide an initial review of the corpus. Validation and execution remain human-led.
Verify before sending the draft to the notary
Is the text clearly marked as a draft? Is the client's input separated from the AI's suggestions? Are the beneficiaries and potential witnesses clearly distinguished?
Are the issues of reserved portions and contingency planning identified? Has no personal data been pasted into a public tool? Are the documents in a tool isolated between organizations? Has the professional reviewed it before the appointment?
After a death, the nature of the file changes. See AI for an estate settlement.
Confidentiality
A will file involves family, assets, and personal wishes. It is highly sensitive.
Before using a tool: where is the data stored? Who has access to it? Is it used to train a model? Is it isolated between organizations?
View Silex security and AI and data protection. Source: FDPIC – AI and data protection.
Who is this for?
For notaries: structuring the meeting. See AI for notaries. For law firm staff: gathering documents and summarizing. See AI for notarial practice.
For lawyers: research and notes. See AI for lawyers. For wealth management legal experts: framing before the authentic deed. See AI for legal experts.
The role of Silex
Silex helps prepare an estate file. Search. Analyze. Structure. It does not produce an authentic will ready for signature. Three new features remain within the same environment.
Silo, coming August 26, 2026
Silo queries your documents from Silex. Draft provisions, marriage contracts, deeds, statements, templates. It also links them to legal sources.
Every answer is sourced. You can trace it back to the original document. Files imported into Silo Storage are hosted in Switzerland by Infomaniak, on a sovereign cloud. They are not used to train models. They are not shared with other organizations.
Case analysis, coming soon
The agent will process a complete case file at once. Documents, correspondence, filings, PDFs, audio recordings, plus a description of the situation and your instructions.
Target deliverable: summary, key points, missing items, points of attention, draft documents. It is a draft for your meeting. Not a public deed. Not a holographic will.
New plans, starting August 26, 2026
The plans include Silo and the new AI agents. Storage and credits are tailored to each offer. See the pricing.
See the product, the solutions and legal AI. To test it out, book a demo or contact the teamSupplements: FAQ and legal monitoring.
FAQ: AI for an authentic will
Can AI draft an authentic will?
No. It can prepare a draft. Only a qualified public official can receive the deed, in the presence of two witnesses.
What deliverables should be requested?
A plan of intentions, a list of required documents, any outstanding questions, and a clearly identified draft. Not a document to be signed.
Is a text printed by an AI considered a holographic will?
No. A holographic will must be entirely handwritten, dated, and signed.
Can an individual rely solely on a chatbot?
Not for an authentic will. A chatbot provides neither the required form, nor legal advice, nor secure filing. Personal instructions have no place in a public-facing tool.
How can I query case files in Silex?
With Silo, starting August 26, 2026, you can query your documents and cross-reference them with the law. You can trace information back to the original document. A case analysis agent, available soon, will be able to review an entire corpus at once. Public deeds, witnesses, and filing remain outside the scope of AI.
Can AI choose the witnesses?
No. It can remind you that a beneficiary or a relative is generally not an admissible witness.
Does Silex replace the notary?
No. Silex helps with preparation. Authentication and legal responsibility remain with the professional.
