U.S. President Donald Trump has appointed Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton as the administration’s new artificial intelligence czar. Clayton will lead a newly created White House task force called the Super Intelligence Force, which will examine the risks and opportunities associated with advanced AI. The group has been given 120 days to produce a report on AI risks, potential government responses and the role of the federal government in the technology’s development.
Clayton is a lawyer and former financial regulator who became the ninth Director of National Intelligence in August 2026. Before taking charge of the U.S. Intelligence Community, he served as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York and prosecuted cases involving terrorism, financial crime and other national security matters.
He is perhaps best known for serving as chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission from 2017 to 2020 during Trump’s first presidency. He later worked in the private sector, including as chairman of the board of Apollo Global Management, and held senior roles at Sullivan & Cromwell.
Clayton’s appointment places a national security-focused official at the centre of the administration’s AI strategy. The Super Intelligence Force is expected to consult government officials, businesses and other stakeholders while examining issues including AI safety, cybersecurity, regulation and the technology’s strategic importance.
The move comes as governments and AI companies face growing pressure to address the potential risks of increasingly capable AI systems while maintaining technological competitiveness.

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