Trump Names Jay Clayton New AI Czar, Gives Task Force 120 Days to Assess Technology
President Donald Trump has named Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton as his new artificial intelligence czar, putting the nation’s top intelligence official in charge of a new White House task force examining the opportunities and potential dangers created by rapidly advancing AI technology.
Clayton will lead the newly created “Super Intelligence Force,” reflecting Trump’s preferred term of “super intelligence” for advanced artificial intelligence. The group has been given 120 days to produce a report examining the technology’s risks and opportunities and the appropriate role of the federal government.
Trump said the task force will coordinate federal efforts to ensure the United States remains the global leader in advanced AI. The administration has increasingly treated the technology as a national security issue as competition with China intensifies and AI systems become more powerful.
Clayton said maintaining American leadership will be one of the group’s central priorities. He argued that falling behind foreign adversaries could create its own national security risks while making it more difficult for the United States to respond to future threats.
The task force will examine issues including cyberattacks, security breaches, AI-enabled threats and the government’s ability to respond when advanced systems cause problems. It will also consider whether existing federal authorities are sufficient and what additional actions Congress could eventually take.
The group’s charter calls for developing plans to respond to threats while avoiding excessive regulation that could limit innovation and competition. Trump has repeatedly resisted calls for sweeping new restrictions on AI development, arguing that slowing American companies could give China an advantage.
The new task force includes several senior administration officials. Vice President JD Vance, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and other government officials will participate alongside Clayton as the White House attempts to coordinate AI policy across multiple federal agencies.
The announcement follows a White House gathering with executives from some of America’s largest technology and AI companies. Industry leaders agreed to voluntary principles involving internal safety controls, independent reviews and additional monitoring of advanced AI models.
Trump has described the development of advanced AI as potentially more transformative than the Industrial Revolution and the internet. His administration has emphasized rapidly expanding American computing capacity and AI infrastructure while attempting to address growing concerns about cybersecurity, employment and national security.
Clayton will continue serving as Director of National Intelligence while taking on the additional AI role. He previously led the Securities and Exchange Commission during Trump’s first administration and later served as the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York before becoming intelligence chief.
The Super Intelligence Force’s findings could help shape the next phase of federal AI policy. With the 120-day deadline now in place, Clayton and the other members will be tasked with determining how Washington can address emerging risks without undermining the administration’s goal of keeping the United States at the forefront of the global AI race.