US Intelligence Director appointed 'Czar' for Artificial Intelligence
Jay Clayton announced he will lead a new working group on artificial intelligence at the request of the White House, with a ban on excessive regulation.
Translated by Qiyas from النهار — Original source
New York, Agencies: U.S. Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton told The Wall Street Journal that he will lead a new working group on artificial intelligence, tasked by the White House with assessing the risks and opportunities of this technology sector while preventing excessive regulations that could stifle innovation. Clayton’s name has been circulating in media reports for days, suggesting he will become the new “czar” of AI in President Donald Trump’s administration, although no official appointment announcement has been made yet. Clayton will thus be the second person to hold this informal role, following David Sacks, a Silicon Valley investor and entrepreneur who assumed the position when Trump returned to the White House in early 2025, before stepping down in late March.
Under the label “superintelligence force,” as Trump has termed AI, the group has 120 days to submit a report on the risks and opportunities presented by this technology, according to the newspaper. Clayton said, “The president asked for a group that ensures full implementation of his directive: that we remain at the forefront in superintelligence and that the interests of the American people are placed at the forefront.” He added that there are “significant risks if we are not first.”
Clayton worked for more than two decades as a business lawyer, particularly in the financial sector, and has no prior experience in the technology field. The newspaper noted that, according to its charter, the working group is tasked with “developing plans to address threats posed by superintelligence to our society, while preventing excessive regulation and regulatory dominance that could hinder innovation and undermine competition.” It will also “submit recommendations on ways to improve the government’s ability to respond under existing authorities.” The group includes Vice President J.D. Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent among its members.
