Trump is expected to name Jay Clayton as AI czar

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President Donald Trump is expected to pick Jay Clayton to be the White House’s new czar of artificial intelligence, two sources familiar with the discussion told CNN.

The president could announce his decision about Clayton, who is director of national intelligence, as early as Friday, one of the sources said.

Trump announced last month that he was planning to create an “AI Force” and name an AI czar as the government faces growing calls to impose guardrails on the technology’s rapid development.

Trump gathered several AI and technology CEOs at the White House on Tuesday for a meeting that culminated in the signing of a new commitment aimed at better “self-policing” their companies’ AI models.

Trump previously told Axios that Clayton would be a good AI czar. CBS News first reported that Clayton was the frontrunner for the position.

A White House official told CNN, “Any personnel announcement will be announced directly by the President. Any reporting until then is baseless speculation.”

Clayton, who previously served as the top federal prosecutor in Manhattan and led the Securities and Exchange Commission during the majority of Trump’s first term, is expected to remain in his role as director of national intelligence, the sources said.

He was confirmed by the Senate in July to lead the US intelligence community. Clayton succeeded Bill Pulte, a controversial housing executive with no national security experience whom Trump installed as acting director for a 40-day tenure.

When asked about AI during his confirmation hearing, Clayton said the technology is a “game changer” and that it’s “not only an opportunity but a threat.”

“When something’s both an opportunity and a threat, you better get your arms around it,” Clayton said.

Venture capitalist David Sacks previously served as Trump’s AI and cryptocurrency czar until March 2026, when he stepped down after reaching his time limit as a special government employee. He now co-chairs the president’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.

Sacks has continued to have considerable influence on the president when it comes to AI issues.

On Tuesday, Trump told reporters that he was “very close to making a decision,” regarding his pick for the role. “I’ll be naming one, I’d say, over the next three or four days.”

Trump added that he first wanted to check with “the companies” as well as House GOP leadership in Congress before making his decision.

The president has made clear that he considers outpacing China and preserving AI-driven economic gains a higher priority than addressing growing public concerns, and previously referred to fears over AI as being a “hoax.”

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据 CNN 报道，两名知情人士透露，唐纳德·特朗普总统预计将选择杰伊·克莱顿担任白宫新的人工智能沙皇。

一位消息人士称，总统最早可能在周五宣布对国家情报总监克莱顿的决定。

上个月，特朗普宣布他计划组建一支“人工智能部队”，并任命一位人工智能沙皇，因为政府面临着越来越大的呼声，要求对这项技术的快速发展加以限制。

周二，特朗普在白宫召集了几位人工智能和科技公司的首席执行官举行会议，会议最终签署了一项新的承诺，旨在更好地“自我监管”他们公司的人工智能模型。

特朗普此前告诉Axios新闻网，克莱顿会是一位优秀的AI主管。哥伦比亚广播公司新闻网（CBS News）率先报道了克莱顿是该职位的领跑者。

一位白宫官员告诉CNN：“任何人事任命都将由总统直接宣布。在此之前的任何报道都是毫无根据的猜测。”

消息人士称，克莱顿此前曾担任曼哈顿联邦检察官，并在特朗普第一任期的大部分时间里领导证券交易委员会，预计他将继续担任国家情报总监一职。

他于7月获得参议院确认，出任美国情报界领导人。克莱顿接替了比尔·普尔特，后者是一位颇具争议的住房企业高管，没有任何国家安全方面的经验，特朗普曾任命他为代理局长，任期40天。

在确认听证会上被问及人工智能时，克莱顿表示，这项技术是“改变游戏规则的”，它“不仅是一个机遇，也是一个威胁”。

克莱顿说：“当某件事既是机遇又是威胁时，你最好抓住它。”

风险投资家大卫·萨克斯曾担任特朗普的人工智能和加密货币事务主管，直至2026年3月，因任期届满而卸任。他现在担任总统科技顾问委员会的联合主席。

在人工智能问题上，萨克斯对总统一直有着相当大的影响力。

周二，特朗普告诉记者，他“即将做出决定”，确定该职位的人选。“我想，我会在未来三四天内公布人选。”

特朗普补充说，他首先想与“这些公司”以及国会众议院共和党领导层核实，然后再做决定。

总统已明确表示，他认为超越中国和保持人工智能带来的经济成果比解决日益增长的公众担忧更为重要，并且此前曾将对人工智能的担忧称为“骗局”。