President Donald Trump announced the creation of a new Super Intelligence Force, a federal task force he said will be chaired by national intelligence director Jay Clayton. Trump described the group in a Sunday morning post on his Truth Social network, saying it will coordinate the federal government's efforts to keep the United States ahead of other countries in super intelligence.
Trump framed the technology as a historic breakthrough, saying many people consider it bigger than the Industrial Revolution and the Internet, and that the force will work to protect American interests and improve the lives of Americans.
The announcement follows a September pledge by Trump to form an AI Force and name an AI czar, a promise he made after dismissing an AI safety debate as a hoax pushed by what he called "Radical Left Dumocrats." He said at the time that only high-IQ individuals should apply. Trump later signed an executive order to rebrand AI as super intelligence, a term that tech executives gathered at the White House this week adopted with some difficulty while signing a non-binding safety pledge that contained a notable typo. The new task force's name reflects that branding.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Clayton will chair the Super Intelligence Force, making him the de facto AI and super intelligence czar. Federal Trade Commission Chair Andrew Ferguson, Undersecretary of War for Research and Engineering Emil Michael, and Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor will serve as vice chairs. The task force reportedly has 120 days to produce a report on the risks and opportunities presented by AI.
Clayton has previously said it would be irresponsible for the United States to back away from AI while countries such as China move forward. He made similar remarks to the Journal, arguing that one of the biggest risks is not being first. According to its reported charter, the task force will develop plans for responding to super-intelligence-enabled threats to society while working to prevent overregulation and regulatory capture that would stifle innovation and competition.
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