The European Commission might soon appoint an AI envoy — but what the job would actually entail remains undefined.
The idea was floated last week by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during a meeting with Europe's top corporate executives gathered at the European Round Table for Industry.
"It seems to be an idea that comes back now and again," a diplomatic source told Euronews, noting it was not the first time the post had been suggested.
What the position would actually entail is still far from clear, even within the European Commission. In EU jargon, envoys are typically senior diplomats appointed to handle high-level negotiations, specific issues or regions.
However, the new AI envoy is meant not only to represent the EU externally — travelling to Silicon Valley, for instance — but also to give fresh impetus to the bloc's industrial policy in this area, including the so-called AI gigafactories: massive facilities to develop cutting-edge AI technologies.
