Trump appoints Jay Clayton as new AI czar of US
What's the story
US President Donald Trump has appointed Jay Clayton, the current Director of National Intelligence, as the administration's artificial intelligence (AI) czar. The appointment was reported by The Wall Street Journal on Saturday. Clayton will head a new White House panel that is expected to report within 120 days on both the risks and opportunities posed by AI technologies.
Task force
'Risk of not being first is high'
The panel, dubbed the "Super Intelligence Force," will be tasked with ensuring that the US stays ahead in advanced AI while also safeguarding American interests.
"The president asked that a group be put together," Clayton told The Wall Street Journal.
He added, "The risk of not being first is high."
This comes as concerns about AI safety have been growing recently, with some researchers warning it could pose a threat to humanity within a decade.
Risk assessment
Panel to evaluate AI-related risks
Clayton's panel will evaluate AI-related risks and existing government reporting mechanisms for breaches, hacks, and other incidents.
It will also recommend ways to bolster federal-response capabilities under current authorities.
This is Trump's second appointment of an adviser for overseeing AI-related decisions across the administration. The first was venture capitalist David Sacks at the start of his second term in office.
Team composition
Task force members and external advisers
The task force will be chaired by Clayton, with Emil Michael, Scott Kupor, and Federal Trade Commission Chair Andrew Ferguson as vice chairs.
Other members include Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles.
External advisers include Sacks and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.