President Trump on Sunday announced a federal task force on AI that he calls the "Super Intelligence Force" and chose Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton to lead it, five days after leaders of the country's largest AI companies signed a set of voluntary safety standards at the White House.
Trump presented the group as the next step after that pledge. "Following the Historic White House Accord on Super Intelligence, where the World's most important Technology Companies came together, and confirmed their responsibilities to the American People, I am announcing the formation of the Super Intelligence Force (SIF)," he wrote on Truth Social. The force is meant to "ensure that America continues to lead the World in Super Intelligence, which many say is bigger than the Industrial Revolution, and the Internet," according to the post, and it will coordinate the federal government's engagement with consumers, public interest groups, religious organizations, critical infrastructure providers and the companies building the technology. The name reflects Trump's push to rebrand the field; he has directed the federal government to use "Super Intelligence" in place of AI.
Three other officials will help lead the force: Andrew Ferguson, chairman of the Federal Trade Commission; Emil Michael, the Pentagon's chief technology officer and under secretary for research and engineering; and Scott Kupor, director of the Office of Personnel Management. The group will report to Trump and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles.
Clayton keeps his intelligence post. The Senate confirmed him in July as director of national intelligence, which gives him authority over 18 intelligence agencies. He previously led the Securities and Exchange Commission during Trump's first term and served as the top federal prosecutor in Manhattan. Asked about AI at his confirmation hearing, he called it a "game changer" and said, "When something's both an opportunity and a threat, you better get your arms around it."
After last week's meeting, Trump told reporters he would name an AI czar within three or four days, and CNN reported Friday that Clayton was expected to lead the new group. CNBC and The Guardian described him as the administration's new AI czar. Venture capitalist David Sacks served as AI and crypto czar until March, when his time as a special government employee ran out. He still co-chairs the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.
The accord the companies signed on Sept. 29 commits them to "four layers of controls and audits", including internal evaluations, audits by an outside firm and reviews by each company's board, and to meet regularly to set safety standards. Trump has called those voluntary standards "morally binding." "I'm seeing tremendous self-policing, and they understand that they have to self-police," he told reporters.
Some of the industry's own leaders have asked for more. Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei and OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman have called for federal guardrails on the most advanced systems, while Trump has so far opposed regulation. He has called fears about the technology a "hoax," and when he announced plans for an "AI Force" in September, he wrote, "We will not in any way hinder or stifle the Growth of this incredible Industry."
CNBC reported that the new group will have 120 days to study the technology's risks and opportunities and recommend what responsibilities the federal government should take on.