Quick Answer
- President Trump has named Jay Clayton, the Director of National Intelligence, as the White House AI czar. Reports are dated October 4 and 5, 2026.
- Clayton leads a new group called the Super Intelligence Force (SIF).
- The SIF has a 120 day mandate to assess AI risks and opportunities and recommend what the federal government’s role should be.
- Its legal powers and exact authority have not been spelled out in the reports we reviewed.
The White House has a new AI point person. Here is who was named, who else is on the team and what the group has been asked to do.
Who is Jay Clayton?
Clayton is the Director of National Intelligence, a job he was sworn into in August 2026. He is also a former chair of the SEC, from 2017 to 2020, and a former US Attorney for the Southern District of New York. In earlier comments, he described super intelligence as a national security issue and argued against pausing AI development, saying it would hand an advantage to other countries.
What is the Super Intelligence Force?
The SIF is a new federal group meant to coordinate the government’s AI efforts and, in the White House’s words as reported, “ensure that America continues to lead the World in Super Intelligence” while protecting and improving the lives of Americans. Trump prefers the term “super intelligence” over “AI” and has favored lighter regulation so the US does not fall behind China.
Who is on the team?
| Name | Current role |
|---|---|
| Jay Clayton | Director of National Intelligence, leads the SIF |
| Andrew Ferguson | FTC Chairman |
| Emil Michael | Pentagon Chief Technology Officer |
| Scott Kupor | Director, Office of Personnel Management |
The group reports to the president and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. This is the second AI czar in Trump’s current term, after venture capitalist David Sacks held the role.
What has the SIF been asked to do?
According to reporting, over 120 days the team will:
- Assess the risks and opportunities of AI.
- Review how the government currently reports AI breaches and incidents.
- Recommend ways to strengthen the federal response.
- Advise how involved the federal government should be in AI.
The reporting around incident reporting connects to recent stories about AI agents touching government systems. See our report on OpenAI agents reaching government websites for that background.
What is still unclear?
- The exact legal authority and budget of the SIF.
- Whether it can set rules or only make recommendations.
- How it will work with existing agencies like the FTC and the Pentagon.
Earlier coverage of Trump’s comments said the duties of the AI czar had not been defined. Senator Elizabeth Warren criticized the administration’s approach of letting the industry regulate itself. Clayton has said existing agencies such as the FTC and DOJ can provide oversight.
How this connects to other AI policy news
Washington has been busy on AI. Trump met tech CEOs at the White House recently, which we covered in Trump and Johnson’s AI safety summit. In Congress, a different approach was proposed in Bernie Sanders’ AI legislation. The Pentagon’s side of the story is in our post on the Anthropic supply chain risk ruling.
FAQ
Who is the new AI czar?
Jay Clayton, the Director of National Intelligence.
What is the Super Intelligence Force?
A new White House group led by Clayton to coordinate federal AI efforts and report on risks and opportunities within 120 days.
Who is on the Super Intelligence Force?
Besides Clayton, reports name FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson, Pentagon CTO Emil Michael and OPM Director Scott Kupor.
When was Clayton named?
Reports are dated October 4 and 5, 2026.
Does the SIF have power to make AI rules?
That has not been made clear in the reporting we reviewed.
Who was the previous AI czar?
David Sacks, a venture capitalist, held the role earlier in Trump’s current term.
