U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that he had appointed Jay Clayton, the current director of national intelligence, to lead the government’s efforts in maintaining American supremacy in artificial intelligence. Clayton will head the newly established “Super Intelligence Force” (SIF), responsible for coordinating interactions with consumers, religious organizations, AI firms, and other stakeholders.
Through a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump emphasized that the SIF’s objective is to ensure America’s global leadership in super intelligence and to safeguard the interests and enhance the lives of all Americans. This move corroborates a previous report by The Wall Street Journal, where Clayton, who assumed his role as national intelligence director in August, was designated by Trump to spearhead the nation’s drive to remain at the forefront of AI technologies.
Clayton highlighted the importance of being a frontrunner in AI, expressing that the consequences of falling behind are significant. The newly formed task force, chaired by Clayton, has been given 120 days to deliver a comprehensive report evaluating the risks and opportunities associated with AI and recommending the federal government’s role in this domain.
Concerns regarding the safety of AI have escalated recently, with researchers cautioning about potential risks to humanity within the next decade. In response, various lawmakers from both Democratic and Republican parties have raised alarms and called for increased actions. While Trump has taken a lenient stance on AI regulation to maintain competitiveness against China, he has shown reluctance to collaborate with Chinese President Xi Jinping on governing AI technology.
Clayton’s panel will assess AI-related risks, evaluate existing government protocols for incidents like breaches and hacks, and propose strategies to bolster 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 government, with David Sacks previously serving in the role. Alongside Clayton, the task force will include key figures such as Andrew Ferguson, chair of the Federal Trade Commission; Emil Michael, Pentagon’s chief technology officer; and Scott Kupor, director of the Office of Personnel Management. The panel will report directly to the President and Susie Wiles, the White House chief of staff.