U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that he has appointed Jay Clayton, the current director of national intelligence, to lead the administration’s efforts in maintaining American dominance in artificial intelligence (AI). Trump, who advocates for rebranding AI as “super intelligence,” revealed that Clayton will spearhead the newly established “Super Intelligence Force” (SIF), which will oversee the government’s interactions with various stakeholders such as consumers, religious organizations, and AI companies.
Through a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump emphasized that the goal of SIF is to ensure that the U.S. remains a global leader in super intelligence while safeguarding the interests and welfare of all Americans. The appointment of Clayton aligns with a recent report from The Wall Street Journal, where Clayton, who assumed the role of national intelligence chief in August, disclosed that Trump had assigned him the responsibility of advancing the U.S.’s position in AI.
Clayton highlighted the importance of being at the forefront of AI, emphasizing the risks associated with falling behind. The task force led by Clayton has been given a 120-day timeline to produce a comprehensive report evaluating the risks and opportunities presented by AI, along with recommendations on the federal government’s role in this domain.
Amid growing concerns about AI safety, Trump’s approach to AI regulation has been characterized by a cautious stance, citing concerns about maintaining global competitiveness, particularly against China. He has expressed reluctance to collaborate with Chinese President Xi Jinping on governing AI technology. Clayton’s panel will assess AI-related risks, review existing government mechanisms for addressing breaches and hacks, and propose strategies to enhance federal response capabilities within current legal frameworks.
This marks the second instance where Trump has appointed an adviser to oversee AI-related decisions across the administration, with venture capitalist David Sacks previously holding the AI czar role. Alongside Clayton, the leadership of the task force will include Andrew Ferguson, chair of the Federal Trade Commission; Emil Michael, Pentagon chief technology officer; and Scott Kupor, director of the Office of Personnel Management. The panel will provide reports to the president and Susie Wiles, the White House chief of staff.
