Von der Leyen’s AI envoy pick triggers conflict-of-interest backlash weeks after Siemens helped gut the AI Act

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen appointed Siemens supervisory board chairman Jim Hagemann Snabe as special envoy for industrial AI, sparking immediate conflict-of-interest accusations. Critics noted the appointment came weeks after Siemens successfully lobbied to weaken the EU's AI Act, raising concerns about corporate influence over regulatory policy.

The European Commission has appointed Jim Hagemann Snabe, chairman of Siemens’ supervisory board, as its special envoy for industrial artificial intelligence. He will advise Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and tech sovereignty chief Henna Virkkunen on how to accelerate AI adoption across European industry. The backlash was immediate. Snabe’s appointment lands weeks after Siemens …