Trump names intelligence chief Clayton as AI czar, to head task force, WSJ reports
Jay Clayton, U.S. President Donald Trump's nominee to be Director of National Intelligence, testifies during a Senate Intelligence Committee confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 15, 2026. REUTERS.
US President Donald Trump has appointed Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton as the administration's AI czar, the Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday, citing an interview with Clayton.
Clayton, who was appointed intelligence chief in August, will lead a new White House panel tasked with reporting within 120 days on the risks and opportunities posed by AI, the newspaper said.
"The president asked that a group be put together," which the administration refers to as the "Super Intelligence Force," to ensure the US remains a leader in advanced AI while protecting Americans' interests, Clayton told the Journal, adding that "the risk of not being first is high."
The safety of AI has become a major issue in recent weeks, with some researchers warning that people building the technology believe it could kill humans within a decade. Several Democratic and Republican lawmakers have responded with alarm and calls for more action.
Trump has appeared to take a light touch toward AI regulation, arguing that excessive oversight could weaken competitiveness against China. He said on Tuesday that he does not want to work with Chinese President Xi Jinping on governing AI technology.
Clayton's panel will review AI-related risks and current government reporting mechanisms for breaches, hacks and other incidents, and recommend ways to strengthen federal-response capabilities under existing authorities, the Journal said, citing the task force's charter.
This is the second time Trump has named an adviser to oversee AI-related decisions across the administration. Venture capitalist David Sacks held the AI czar role at the beginning of Trump's second term.
The task force's vice chairs will be Emil Michael, Scott Kupor and Federal Trade Commission Chair Andrew Ferguson, while members will include Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, according to the report. External advisers will also include Sacks and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, the Journal said.
