Donald Trump is expected to appoint Jay Clayton as the White House’s artificial intelligence czar. According to CNN, citing two sources familiar with the discussions, the U.S. president is preparing to name the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) as the lead coordinator for AI-related decisions across the entire federal government.
Trump and the “AI force”
Last month, Trump announced plans to appoint an artificial intelligence adviser — commonly referred to as an “AI czar” — and to establish an “AI force,” though he offered no details on either initiative or how they would be implemented.
This marks the second time Trump has appointed an adviser to oversee AI-related decisions across the government, a role he has dubbed the “AI czar.”
🇺🇸 JUST IN: Trump is expected to name former SEC Chair Jay Clayton as White House AI czar, per CNN. pic.twitter.com/9dOe5edcdw
— Cointelegraph (@Cointelegraph) October 2, 2026
Who held the role before
Tech entrepreneur David Sacks previously held the position at the start of Trump’s second term before stepping down from the team. Sacks continues to advise Trump on artificial intelligence matters.
Trump’s move comes as leading researchers have issued stark warnings about the significant risks posed by artificial intelligence. Both Democratic and Republican lawmakers have responded with growing alarm, calling for more decisive action.
Trump has repeatedly downplayed concerns surrounding artificial intelligence and has argued that additional regulation is unnecessary — even as fears continue to mount among lawmakers in Washington and governments around the world regarding the dangers the technology presents.
