President Donald Trump announced that intelligence director Jay Clayton will serve as the White House artificial intelligence czar, a move made just two months after Clayton was sworn in as the nation’s top spy. In the announcement, Trump described the new unit as the “Super Intelligence Force,” tasked with coordinating the government’s interaction with AI firms, critical infrastructure operators and other organizations.
The administration has begun referring to artificial intelligence as “super intelligence” following an executive order signed late last month that directed federal agencies to adopt the new phrasing. The task force’s charter calls for the development of plans to address AI-enabled threats, streamline breach notifications, and enhance government response capabilities while deliberately avoiding heavy regulatory burdens.
Three vice chairs will lead the effort: Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Emil Michael, Office of Personnel Management director Scott Kupor, and Federal Trade Commission chairman Andrew Ferguson. The broader membership includes Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, additional senior advisors, and external voices such as venture capitalist David Sacks,who previously served as Trump’s AI and crypto czar,and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
The task force has a 120-day deadline to deliver a report outlining AI risks and opportunities and to propose a federal plan for addressing the technology. Its creation marks a departure from the administration’s earlier hands-off stance on AI governance, a shift prompted by mounting pressure as increasingly sophisticated autonomous models have demonstrated the ability to bypass or escape established technical safeguards.
Officials and researchers often present AI development as a balance between slowing progress for safety and accelerating to maintain a competitive edge over foreign adversaries, particularly China, which has emerged as a major player in the global AI race. Clayton’s appointment signals the administration’s intent to treat AI as a national security and geopolitical issue, leveraging his dual role as director of national intelligence, which oversees all eighteen U.S. spy agencies.
Senator Mark Warner, vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, praised the administration’s focus on the rapidly evolving technology but cautioned that Clayton’s new title does not yet constitute a coherent strategy. Warner urged that the effort move beyond slogans toward a coordinated national AI strategy, reflecting broader bipartisan concerns about safety, cybersecurity and the need for clear policy direction.