President Donald Trump on Oct. 4 announced the creation of a coalition of federal officials tasked with coordinating the government’s approach to artificial intelligence (AI), as his administration continues to reject calls for broader AI regulation.
The “Super Intelligence Force” will coordinate federal government engagement with consumers, public interest groups, religious organizations, critical infrastructure providers, and AI companies, according to Trump’s announcement on Truth Social.
“The Super Intelligence Force is tasked with coordinating the effort of the Federal Government to ensure that America continues to lead the World in Super Intelligence, which many say is bigger than the Industrial Revolution, and the Internet, and will protect the interests, and improve the lives, of all Americans,” Trump wrote.
The Trump administration recently began referring to AI as “super intelligence,” or “SI,” and Trump directed the executive branch to use the new terminology in official documents and communications.
The force will be led by Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton, alongside Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew Ferguson; Emil Michael, under secretary of defense for research and engineering and chief technology officer; and Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor. The group will report to Trump and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles.
The move marks the administration’s latest step in shaping its approach to increasingly powerful AI systems while resisting calls for a broader regulatory framework. Trump has repeatedly rejected proposals for additional AI regulation, arguing that new restrictions could hinder U.S. technological development.
Trump first announced plans to create an AI force in September in response to calls for additional AI safeguards, saying on Truth Social that he would not allow what he described as the “decimation, or destruction, of AI.”
“We will not in any way hinder or stifle the Growth of this incredible Industry. Rather, we will cherish it, help it, and watch over it, as it grows!” Trump wrote. “However, we will also be looking for BAD, and we can do that, very easily, with our already existing Criminal and Civil Justice System.”
Trump also said at the time that he would appoint an AI “czar,” adding, “Only High I.Q. individuals need apply!”
Following Trump’s announcement of the officials serving on the new force, Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., welcomed Trump’s decision to name Clayton as said AI “czar.” Warner said the move recognizes that the technology requires “serious, sustained attention at the highest levels of government.”
But Warner said creating a new AI leadership role is not enough.
“So far, the administration has resisted meaningful safeguards without offering a serious alternative for addressing the national security risks posed by increasingly powerful AI systems,” he said. “We still do not know what authority this new role will have, whether it will include developing safety standards or reviewing the most advanced models, or how it fits into the administration’s broader approach to AI.”
Creation of the new force follows a closed-door meeting last week between Trump, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and AI industry executives. During the meeting, participants signed a commitment to a set of AI safety principles that Trump described as “morally binding.”
The agreement, called the “White House Accord on Superintelligence Joint Commitment on Frontier SI Responsibilities,” establishes a series of voluntary commitments for AI developers, according to Johnson.