Today, Jim Hagemann Snabe has been appointed as Special Envoy for Industrial Artificial Intelligence. In this role, he will advise President Ursula von der Leyen, and the Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, Henna Virkkunen on matters linked to industrial Artificial Intelligence, in order to maximise the transformative potential of AI across the EU. As part of this work, Mr Hagemann Snabe will deliver an evidence-based and forward-looking report on industrial AI.
His advisory role will encompass the entire industrial AI ecosystem, with a particular focus on AI infrastructure, including data centres, high-performance computing (HPC) and the semiconductor supply chains that are critical for AI deployment. He will also provide advice on foundational AI technologies, such as large language models (LLMs), generative AI, cloud computing services and advanced AI software, as well as on the application of AI across various industrial sectors. In addition, he will contribute to strategic policy considerations to ensure coherence between technological innovation and the EU's legislative framework.
Mr Hagemann Snabe, a Danish national, has previously worked in renowned technological companies and has been member of different international and financial Institutions. With over 25 years of experience in the IT industry, board-level experience across artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, and clean-tech, Mr Hagemann Snabe has a strong track record in driving innovation and digitalisation at the highest level, including steering strategic shifts that enhanced competitiveness while strengthening a more responsible role for business in society. His appointment as Special Envoy for Industrial AI is due to this exceptionally wide expertise and depth of experience, not immediately available to the same extent in the Commission. This combination of strategic leadership, industrial insight and technology expertise equips him well to support the EU's ambitions on the deployment and uptake of industrial artificial intelligence.
Mr Hagemann Snabe will have the status of a non-remunerated Special adviser until 31 March 2027. In full compliance with the Rules for Special advisers, the Commission carried out a thorough assessment prior to the appointment to ensure there is no conflict of interest between Mr. Hagemann Snabe's duties in this role and his professional activities outside the Commission. For the duration of his mandate, Mr SNABE will suspend his membership on the advisory board of Google Cloud as well as on the board of C3.ai.
Background
Special Advisers are designed to bring expertise where and when it is needed. The report that the Special Envoy for Industrial Artificial Intelligence will deliver will be evidence-based and forward-looking and will include actionable recommendations, aimed at strengthening Europe's digital sovereignty.
This appointment comes in a crucial time for the Commission's AI policy. AI Continent Action Plan positions Europe to become an AI continent by boosting computing infrastructure, data, skills and AI uptake across the European Union. At the same time, the Technological Sovereignty Package fast-tracks this work and builds on existing initiatives such as the Competitiveness Compass and the Economic Security Strategy , as well as the upcoming AI Gigafactories .
