Donald Trump appoints Jay Clayton as new US artificial intelligence chief

US President Donald Trump has chosen Jay Clayton to serve as the country's new artificial intelligence czar amid growing worries about the risks of rapidly changing technology. Clayton will lead a new White House task force named the 'Super Intelligence Force', utilizing Trump's preferred term of 'Super Intelligence' or 'SI' instead of AI. The group has a timeframe of 120 days to research and report on the risks and opportunities of AI while providing recommendations on government responsibilities. Clayton takes over the position from David Sacks, a venture capitalist who resigned from his role as AI and crypto czar in March. Sacks currently serves as co-chair of the US President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. Clayton's appointment follows a recent meeting where industry leaders met Trump at the White House and signed an agreement for voluntary safety standards that Trump called morally binding. Safety concerns have grown due to hacking incidents involving rogue AI agents and warnings from researchers. While industry leaders like Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman have asked for federal guardrails, Trump has opposed regulation. Clayton stated the group will ensure the country stays a leader in superintelligence and puts the interests of the people first. Trump has not yet publicly announced the appointment, though a September post on Truth Social indicated plans to hire an AI czar. Clayton grew up in Pennsylvania with degrees in engineering and law from the University of Pennsylvania and a Master's in Economics from King's College, London. He previously worked at Sullivan & Cromwell, handled major financial crisis deals, chaired the Securities and Exchange Commission from 2017 to 2020, and served as the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York. In July 2026, the US Senate confirmed Clayton as the Director of National Intelligence to oversee 18 intelligence agencies.

Context

Government advisory groups and task forces are frequently established to study emerging technologies and help shape official policy directions. The debate between industry leaders calling for safety guardrails and political leaders aiming to avoid heavy regulation highlights the complex balance modern administrations face. These appointments signal how technology policy is managed at the highest levels of government.