US intelligence chief Jay Clayton named Trump's AI czar, to head 'super intelligence' task force

A White House task force will reportedly produce a report assessing risks posed by AI and what responsibility the US government should have over the technology.

Published on: Oct 4, 2026, 09:46:29 IST

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US President Donald Trump has reportedly appointed director of national intelligence Jay Clayton as the administration's AI czar. Clayton will also lead a White House task force focused on "super intelligence" (SI).

The task force will have to report on the risks and opportunities posed by AI within 120 days, the Wall Street Journal reported.

What will Clayton's AI task force do?

The task force has been named the "Super Intelligence Force," Trump's preferred name for AI, the report said.

Clayton explained that Trump tasked the panel to ensure the US secures a lead in what the US President terms "super intelligence," the report added.

Clayton emphasised that falling behind foreign adversaries carries risks.

"The risk of not being first is high," Clayton said.

"Not being first increases the identified, and unidentified, risks, particularly from our adversaries. Being first will better enable us to address those risks on behalf of the American people," he was quoted as saying in the WSJ report.

"I expect there will be mechanisms developed in dialogue, just like there are in other industries," Clayton told The WSJ.

As per the officials cited in the report, the task force will yield to the industry as the primary vehicle for managing risks.

It will review AI-related risks and current government reporting mechanisms for hacks, breaches, and other incidents, and recommend ways to strengthen federal-response capabilities under existing authorities, the WSJ report said, citing the task force's charter.

Notably, the task force's work could be extended beyond 120 days if needed, or its functions can be transferred to a government agency.

Members of task force

The task force's vice chairs will be Emil Michael, Scott Kupor, and Federal Trade Commission Chair Andrew Ferguson.

Members of the task force will include vice president JD Vance, defense secretary Pete Hegseth, Richard Walters, White House deputy chief of staff, Bessent, Wiles and more, the report said.

Meanwhile, external participants will include venture capitalists David Sacks, co-chair of the president's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology and Condoleezza Rice, former Secretary of State in the George W. Bush administration, the Journal reported.

This is the second time that US President Trump has named an adviser to oversee AI-related decisions. Venture capitalist David Sacks held the AI czar role at the beginning of Trump's second term in office, Reuters reported.

Safety of artificial intelligence (AI)

Discussion around the safety and risks of AI has intensified recently. Some researchers warn that people building the technology believe it could kill humans within ten years, Reuters report further noted.

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