Key facts
- Jim Hagemann Snabe appointed as European Commission's special envoy for industrial AI.
- Snabe is also the chairman of Siemens' supervisory board.
- The appointment follows Siemens' involvement in weakening the EU's AI Act.
- Snabe will advise on accelerating AI adoption across European industry.
The European Commission has appointed Jim Hagemann Snabe, who also serves as the chairman of Siemens' supervisory board, as its special envoy for industrial artificial intelligence. In this new role, Snabe is tasked with advising Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and tech sovereignty chief Henna Virkkunen on strategies to accelerate the adoption of AI across various European industries. The decision has immediately sparked controversy and backlash. This appointment comes just weeks after Siemens played a significant role in the legislative process that led to the weakening of the EU's Artificial Intelligence Act.