New AI Czar Jay Clayton Gets 120 Days to Report on Tech’s Risks

President Donald Trump designated Jay Clayton as the new Artificial Intelligence (AI) Czar, giving him 120 days to report on the risks and potential benefits of AI technology. Clayton, previously the director of national intelligence, will lead the "Super Intelligence Force" under the administration's new naming convention for AI: super intelligence or SI.

The White House aims to maintain America's leadership in super intelligence while prioritizing the interests of American citizens. Clayton emphasized that falling behind other nations would heighten both identified and unidentified risks, particularly from adversaries. The formation of the AI task force follows a meeting between Trump and executives from leading AI companies, during which they agreed to a set of principles governing the technology.

These principles include internal controls to track model development, third-party model reviews, and notifications to the board of directors about safety efforts. While Trump praised these voluntary moves as the right approach, the accord does not impose penalties for companies that fail to meet them or require them to publish audit findings.

The task force will collaborate with the AI sector to identify risks and opportunities, drawing on established risk models from other industries, such as the financial sector. Clayton expects the task force to study current laws and consider potential measures that Congress could take.