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U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday he had named Jay Clayton, the director of national intelligence, as the administration’s artificial intelligence czar, tasking him with co-ordinating the government’s efforts to maintain U.S. leadership in the technology.
Trump, who has pushed to rename AI as “super intelligence,” said Clayton would head the newly created “Super Intelligence Force” (SIF), overseeing the government’s engagement with consumers, religious groups, AI companies and other stakeholders.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote that SIF would aim to “ensure that America continues to lead the World in Super Intelligence” and to “protect the interests, and improve the lives, of all Americans.”
The announcement confirmed a Wall Street Journal report in which Clayton, appointed national intelligence chief in August, said Trump had tapped him to lead the administration’s push to keep the United States at the forefront of AI.
“The risk of not being first is high,” Clayton told the newspaper.
Clayton said the task force would have 120 days to produce a report assessing the risks and opportunities posed by AI and recommending what role the federal government should play.
U.S. President Donald Trump is hosting a summit in Washington with the top leaders in AI development. Trump has dismissed warnings over artificial intelligence, arguing for the need to stay ahead of China in the AI arms race. Geoffrey Hinton, who is considered the ‘godfather’ of AI, says Trump ‘doesn’t really understand’ AI and is ‘ill-advised’ about it.
AI safety concerns
The safety of AI has become a major issue in recent weeks, with some researchers warning that people building the technology believe it could kill humans within a decade. Several Democratic and Republican lawmakers have responded with alarm and calls for more action.
Trump has appeared to take a light touch toward AI regulation, arguing that excessive oversight could weaken competitiveness against China. He said on Tuesday that he does not want to work with Chinese President Xi Jinping on governing AI technology.
Clayton’s panel will review AI-related risks and current government reporting mechanisms for breaches, hacks and other incidents, and recommend ways to strengthen federal response capabilities under existing authorities, the Journal said, citing the task force’s charter.
Chinese and U.S. economic officials have begun talks ahead of a meeting between President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping, where AI safety is expected to be a top issue.
This is the second time Trump has named an adviser to oversee AI-related decisions across the administration. Venture capitalist David Sacks held the AI czar role at the beginning of Trump’s second term.
In addition to Clayton, the task force’s leaders will include Andrew Ferguson, Federal Trade Commission chair; Pentagon chief technology officer Emil Michael; and Scott Kupor, director of the Office of Personnel Management, Trump wrote.
The panel will report to the president and Susie Wiles, the White House chief of staff, he said.
