The Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday that the Director of National Intelligence of the United States, Jay Clayton, has been appointed as the new head of AI under the Trump administration, responsible for leading the government's response to artificial intelligence at a time when there is growing concern about the risks of this rapidly evolving technology from the outside world.
Clayton told The Wall Street Journal that he will lead a new White House task force, which will have 120 days to study and report on the risks and opportunities of AI, and to make recommendations regarding the responsibilities the federal government should assume for this new technology.
Clayton said, 'The president has requested the formation of a team to ensure the full realization of his goals, which is to continue maintaining our leading position in the field of superintelligence and to put the interests of the American people first.' According to a report by The Wall Street Journal.
According to The Wall Street Journal, quoting a senior White House official, the team will be called “Super Intelligence Force”, abbreviated as SI – which is the term preferred by Trump, rather than AI – and Clayton will actually become the new head of AI.
The White House did not immediately respond to the request for a comment from CNBC.
In September, Trump posted on Truth Social that he would create a new “AI Force” to help drive the development of the industry and eliminate bad actors.
Trump said in the post, "We will never in any way hinder or stifle the growth of this incredible industry. On the contrary, we will cherish it, help it, and protect it as it grows!" The post also announced plans to appoint a AI leader.
Trump added, "Only people with high IQs need to apply!"
Clayton has previously served as the Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as well as the Federal Prosecutor for the Southern District of New York. In July, the Senate confirmed his appointment as Director of National Intelligence, granting him jurisdiction over 18 U.S. intelligence agencies.
At the time of this announcement, just a few days had passed since the AI industry leaders met with Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson at the White House. AI developers signed a voluntary safety standard agreement, which Trump described as "morally binding."
Despite severe warnings from industry insiders, and despite the CEOs of Anthropic Dario Amodei and OpenAI Sam Altman also calling on the federal government to establish regulatory safeguards for cutting-edge AI models, Trump has so far been opposed to regulation.
In the same post in September, Trump also implied that concerns about AI were a scam and accused "radical left-wing Democrats."
Venture capitalist David Sacks previously held positions as AI and head of cryptocurrency in the Trump administration, but in March, he stated that his tenure as a special government employee had come to an end. Sacks is currently co-chair of the President's Council on Technology, Science, and Innovation Policy, which is a federal advisory body composed of experts in technology, scientific research, and innovation policy from outside government.
