Spy chief Clayton, the Trump loyalist tech bosses trust on AI
JAY Clayton, Donald Trump’s pick for AI czar, is the nation’s top spy, and a rare figure trusted by both the president and the tech bosses determined to keep the AI boom roaring.
Jay Clayton, a trusted figure for both Donald Trump and the tech industry, has been appointed as the nation's top AI czar. As the director of national intelligence, Clayton, 60, will likely support the central role of artificial intelligence in the US economy, despite growing opposition among American voters.
Dan Ives, an investment company representative, praised Clayton's respect from both tech leaders and government officials, stating that his appointment is "bullish for the industry." Clayton, a Wall Street lawyer with no direct tech background, previously led the Securities and Exchange Commission and the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York.
Clayton's wife, Gretchen Butler Clayton, previously worked as a wealth manager at Goldman Sachs. Trump chose Clayton to lead the US Attorney's Office in 2017, where he handled cases aligned with the president's interests, including a probe into ties between Democrats and Jeffrey Epstein. However, Clayton is not considered a "David Sacks" type, lacking a deep tech background, but possesses significant federal experience.
Despite his lack of technology expertise, Aalok Mehta, from the Center for Strategic and International Studies, believes Clayton's federal resume and experience navigating the federal bureaucracy make him a valuable asset. However, the dual role of AI czar and director of national intelligence is expected to be a challenge. Connor Martin, a national security fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, acknowledged the difficulty but emphasized that Clayton would ultimately need to align with the president's wishes.
The tech industry largely welcomed Clayton's appointment, expecting him to provide clarity and coherence to AI policy, rather than implement significant regulatory changes. Elon Musk, who had previously fallen out with Trump, is back in the president's good graces. Clayton's appointment coincides with a commitment from tech industry leaders to self-police their AI models, which Trump called "morally binding."
Clayton is expected to coordinate government efforts while adhering to Trump's goal of not slowing down the industry.
Written by urgent.news from New Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
