Sources say President Donald Trump is likely to appoint Jay Clayton, his current Director of National Intelligence (DNI), to an additional role as the White House's artificial intelligence — or in Trump's phrasing, "super intelligence" — czar.
Why this matters
- Calls for government action on the rapid development of artificial intelligence have intensified, while Trump has repeatedly expressed a preference for light regulation and has dismissed some existential-risk claims as a "hoax."
- Trump previously told Axios that Jay Clayton would be a good choice for an AI czar; Axios sources now say Clayton is expected to take on that second title in addition to his DNI duties.
Timing and statements
- People familiar with the matter told Axios the president could announce the appointment as soon as Friday. A White House official told Axios that "[a]ny personnel announcement will be announced directly by the President. Any reporting until then is baseless speculation."
- Asked earlier in the week by Axios whom he wanted as AI czar, Trump said, "I have somebody in mind." When prompted about Clayton specifically, Trump called him "a good man" and said, "That's a good idea."
Clayton's views and recent activity
- During his confirmation hearing for the DNI role, Jay Clayton described AI as "not only an opportunity but a threat," adding, "When something is both an opportunity and a threat, you better get your arms around it."
- In a recent interview on CNBC's Squawk Box, Clayton characterized "super intelligence" as a national security issue and said that sentiment was shared by AI leaders who met at the White House on Tuesday. Clayton attended that tech-focused lunch. He also said he did not think anyone in that room should consider a pause in U.S. development to be a good strategy.
Background
- Last month, President Trump announced he would create an "AI Force" and would soon name an AI czar, but provided few details about the Force's mission. Since then, he has met with several prominent figures in the AI industry, including some who have advocated slowing development.
- Jay Clayton was elevated earlier this year to lead the 18-agency intelligence community after his predecessor, Tulsi Gabbard, resigned in May. Clayton previously served as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York and received bipartisan endorsements for aspects of his qualifications. His confirmation as DNI was along party lines, without Democratic support, after he sidestepped questions about who won the 2020 election during his confirmation process.
What happens next
Axios sources say an official announcement could come soon; the White House emphasized that any personnel decision will be announced by the president. If confirmed in the AI role, Clayton would hold both the DNI post and the White House AI czar title, raising questions about how those responsibilities would be coordinated.
