President Trump has put Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton, the president’s top intelligence adviser, in charge of a new “Super Intelligence Force” meant to steer how the federal government handles artificial intelligence, Trump announced in a post on his Truth Social site on Sunday, October 4. The force was announced in a post, not through a signed order. Trump said its job is “to ensure that America continues to lead the World in Super Intelligence,” his preferred name for artificial intelligence.
Story Highlights
- Trump announced the “Super Intelligence Force” in a Truth Social post on Sunday, October 4.
- Clayton leads it and is described in reports as the White House’s AI “czar,” meaning one official put in charge of one issue.
- Reports say the group has 120 days to study AI risks and opportunities and to define the federal government’s role.
- The announcement came days after leaders of major AI companies signed a voluntary safety pledge at the White House on September 29.
Trump Names Clayton To Lead The Force
Trump said the force will “protect the interests, and improve the lives, of all Americans.” It is to work with consumers, public interest groups, religious organizations, companies that run critical infrastructure such as power and pipelines, and the AI industry itself.
Trump names national intelligence director Jay Clayton to lead a new federal AI task force https://t.co/mNDSxXAvVH
— THESKY973DOTCOM (@THESKY973DOTCOM) October 4, 2026
The post followed the White House meeting with the heads of major AI companies, including OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Meta and Nvidia. The companies signed a voluntary set of safety standards. Voluntary means no law requires it and there are no penalties. The standards call for four layers of controls: internal oversight, a dedicated team, outside auditors and a board committee that reviews the results. Trump called the pledge “morally binding” and said he sees “tremendous self-policing” from the companies.
Who Is On The Team, And Who They Answer To
Clayton will keep his job as the nation’s intelligence chief while leading the force. Reports say the group has 120 days to study AI risks and opportunities, find security weak spots, and decide what role the federal government should play.
The other named leaders are Andrew Ferguson, chairman of the Federal Trade Commission, the agency that polices consumer protection; Emil Michael, the Pentagon’s chief technology officer; and Scott Kupor, director of the Office of Personnel Management, which runs the federal workforce. Reports say the force answers to Trump and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. Trump’s post did not give a budget.
Why This Matters To Readers
Trump has called artificial intelligence a technology bigger than the Industrial Revolution, and the companies that build it say they will police themselves. The force puts one senior national security official in charge of the federal side of that work and gives him a 120-day deadline.
The standards the companies signed are voluntary, so the force’s first report will show how much the government plans to do beyond asking. The report is due in about four months.
Sources:
cbsnews.com, politico.com, dw.com, abcnews.com
