Trump expected to name Jay Clayton as Al czar: Here’s what to know

In a major update, President Donald Trump is expected to pick Jay Clayton to be the White House’s new czar of artificial intelligence. According to the sources, the president could announce his decision about Clayton, who is the director of national intelligence, on Friday.

Previously, Trump announced that he was aiming to produce an “Al Force” and name an AI czar as the government faces growing calls to impose guardrails on the rapid digital transformation.

On Tuesday, Trump gathered several AI and technology CEOs at the White House for a meeting that resulted in a new formal agreement aimed at the internal oversight of their companies’ AI models.

A White House official told CNN, “Any personnel announcement will be announced directly by the President. Any reporting until then is baseless speculation.”

The sources further indicated that Clayton, who earlier served as the top federal prosecutor in Manhattan and led the Securities and Exchange Commission during Trump's first term, is anticipated to be named Director of National Intelligence. Trump is very close to making the decision and has made clear that he considers outpacing China a priority and dismisses fears over AI as being a hoax.

Earlier, President Trump said he plans to create an AI force and appoint an AI czar to manage the administration's artificial intelligence efforts, with the proposal underscoring the White House’s primary focus on expanding AI initiatives.

Trump said that a twisted plot has been created against AI and data centers, dismissing demands for new federal AI rules and saying the United States requires only an authoritative leader to govern technology.