Holger Lösch, Deputy Director General of the Federation of German Industries (BDI):

“Time is running out: While other regions are already scaling AI in factories, vehicles, and robotics, Europe is still debating responsibilities and paperwork. In the ongoing negotiations, the Commission, Parliament, and Council must now agree on real relief for industrial AI—no double regulation, workable timelines, and EU wide harmonised implementation.

At present, we are facing a fundamental misunderstanding: industrial AI is too often regulated as if it were generic consumer applications. The result is double regulation, legal uncertainty, and stalled investment—exactly where Europe urgently needs speed and scale.

For AI in physical systems—from manufacturing robotics to autonomous logistics solutions—we need clear guardrails instead of a second layer of scrutiny: a clean delineation from product legislation, no parallel documentation or conformity obligations, and EU wide consistent interpretation. Only this approach can ensure trust in safety while allowing Europe to catch up in the global AI race.

AI embedded in machines and robotics must be clearly anchored in the existing EU product and safety framework—without a parallel, second AI Act testing and documentation regime. Applications already regulated under machinery legislation should therefore be excluded from the scope of the AI Act. Extending the transition periods is a central element of the negotiations and must not be turned into a political pressure tool through overly tight timelines.”