Trump chooses top spy boss to run new AI taskforce

October 5, 2026

President Donald Trump has appointed Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton to lead a newly formed AI taskforce, which Trump is rebranding as the "Super Intelligence Force. " The taskforce will coordinate federal government engagement with various stakeholders including consumers, companies, and religious organizations, and will report directly to Trump. This announcement comes amid growing calls from lawmakers like Senator Elizabeth Warren for stronger AI regulation, though Trump has rejected legislative controls and instead relies on voluntary commitments from tech companies through a "morally binding" document signed in September.

Who is affected

Jay Clayton (Director of National Intelligence, appointed taskforce head)
Andrew Ferguson (Federal Trade Commission head, taskforce member)
Emil Michael (Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, taskforce member)
Senator Elizabeth Warren (Democratic critic calling for AI regulation)
Major AI company executives (OpenAI, Anthropic, SpaceX, Google)
Sam Altman (OpenAI CEO)
David Robinson (former OpenAI safety systems team leader)
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the Australian government (affected by data breach)
Jason Kwon (OpenAI chief strategy officer)
American consumers and the general public
China and President Xi Jinping (in context of AI competition)

What action is being taken

Trump is forming and staffing the AI taskforce (referred to as "Super Intelligence Force")
The taskforce is coordinating federal government engagement with consumers, public interest groups, religious organizations, critical infrastructure providers, and AI companies
The taskforce is reporting directly to Trump and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles
US government departments and agencies are implementing an executive order to replace "AI" terminology with "SI" and "Super Intelligence" in official correspondence, websites, reports, and communications
Jason Kwon is appearing as part of an AI inquiry in Australia on Tuesday (relative to the article date)

Why it matters

This development is significant because it represents the Trump administration's approach to managing one of the most transformative and potentially risky technologies of our time without formal legislative regulation. The decision to rely on industry self-regulation through voluntary commitments rather than binding laws creates a fundamental tension between rapid technological advancement and public safety concerns. The taskforce's formation occurs amid mounting evidence of AI safety failures, including actual security breaches and warnings from industry insiders, making the governance approach consequential for both national security and public welfare. Additionally, the geopolitical dimension is critical, as Trump frames AI development as a competitive race with China where maintaining American leadership is paramount, potentially prioritizing speed over caution.

What's next

Jason Kwon (OpenAI chief strategy officer) is due to appear as part of an AI inquiry in Australia on Tuesday
The Australian government has indicated there will be "legal consequences" for the OpenAI data breach (though specific actions are not detailed)
The taskforce will continue coordinating federal government engagement with various stakeholders

Read full article from source: BBC