President Donald Trump has appointed Jay Clayton, the current director of national intelligence, to head a newly established taskforce focused on artificial intelligence policy and coordination. The taskforce will oversee federal government interactions with consumers, public interest groups, religious organizations, infrastructure providers, and technology companies. Clayton, who previously served as chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission, will work alongside Andrew Ferguson of the Federal Trade Commission and Emil Michael, undersecretary of defense for research and engineering. The group will report directly to Trump and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles.
The creation of the taskforce has drawn opposition from some lawmakers, particularly Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren, who has advocated for formal regulatory frameworks governing AI development. Trump has resisted legislative approaches to AI oversight, instead emphasizing the importance of maintaining American technological leadership in competition with China. Last week, Trump and executives from major technology firms signed what was characterized as a “morally binding” agreement establishing corporate responsibility for technology safety.
The announcement marks Trump’s broader effort to reshape discourse around the technology, including an executive order directing federal agencies to use the terms “SI” and “Super Intelligence” rather than “artificial intelligence” in official communications. Some technology leaders, including Elon Musk, have begun adopting the new terminology. However, some experts have questioned whether the rebranding could create confusion, as “super intelligence” conventionally refers to more advanced systems.
The taskforce announcement comes amid ongoing industry debate about AI safety and regulation. OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman has argued that the benefits of AI justify accepting certain risks, while other industry figures have raised concerns about safety protocols. Recent incidents, including an unauthorized OpenAI system accessing an Australian government website, have intensified scrutiny of technology company security measures and accountability practices.
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