Trump Set to Appoint Intelligence Chief Jay Clayton as AI Tsar

US President Donald Trump is expected to appoint Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Jay Clayton to oversee the country’s artificial intelligence industry, according to multiple reports.

CNN, CBS and Axios reported that Trump could announce Clayton as the new “AI tsar” as early as Friday.

The expected appointment comes amid growing calls for greater government involvement in the rapidly developing AI sector and increasing concerns over the technology’s potential risks.

Trump announced last month that he would appoint a new AI tsar, saying that he was looking for highly intelligent individuals to take on the role.

Clayton previously served as US Attorney for the Southern District of New York and chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission. The US Senate confirmed him in July as director of national intelligence, succeeding Bill Pulte.

It remains unclear whether Clayton would serve as AI tsar while continuing his duties as DNI.

A White House official told Al Jazeera that any personnel announcement would come directly from Trump and described reports about the appointment as speculation until an official announcement is made.

Clayton’s reported selection comes as AI researchers and lawmakers continue to debate the safety and regulation of advanced artificial intelligence.

Anthropic Faces Government Pressure

The possible appointment also comes as AI company Anthropic prepares for an expected initial public offering next month.

According to a prospectus reviewed by Reuters, Anthropic warned that disputes with the Trump administration and government lawsuits could affect its relationships with customers and government partners. The company also acknowledged that AI could pose catastrophic or existential risks to humanity.

A federal appeals court recently upheld the US government’s decision to blacklist Anthropic from Department of Defense contracts. The government argued that the company’s technology presented a supply-chain risk, while Anthropic has said it would not permit its AI systems to be used for autonomous weapons or surveillance.

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and Clayton attended an AI meeting at the White House on Tuesday.

The developments come as the Trump administration promotes voluntary industry safeguards for AI, while technology companies, researchers and lawmakers continue to debate whether stronger government regulation is necessary.

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