Trump names AI czar to head White House task force

President Donald Trump unveiled a White House task force on Sunday aimed at overseeing the administration's approach to artificial intelligence (AI). The group, dubbed the Super Intelligence Force or SI, will be headed by Jay Clayton, director of national intelligence; Andrew Ferguson, chairman of the Federal Trade Commission; Emil Michael, Pentagon chief technology officer; and Scott Kupor, director of the Office of Personnel Management.

In a Truth Social post, Trump stated that the SI would coordinate the federal government's interactions with various stakeholders, including consumers, public interest groups, religious organizations, critical infrastructure providers, and AI companies. The president emphasized that the task force would not stifle the growth of this burgeoning industry but instead support and oversee its expansion.

Trump had previously vowed to establish an AI force in September, but he has thus far taken a hands-off stance on strict regulations governing AI safety. The president affirmed that while he would not hinder the industry's growth, he would instead encourage its development and careful monitoring.

As concerns about potential existential risks posed by AI continue to mount, AI researchers and industry leaders have called for increased vigilance. Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, recently advocated for a global slowdown in AI development, a sentiment echoed by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. In September, Trump hosted a White House summit for a group of approximately 20 tech executives, during which he reportedly agreed on the importance of robust self-regulation by tech companies.

The participants signed an informal pledge committing to adhere to safety guidelines, although the document lacks the binding force of an official policy.