Friday, Oct 2, 2026
Jay Clayton is likely the White House’s final pick for AI czar, and officials have discussed having him retain his job as director of national intelligence, CBS News reported. The arrangement would combine the AI post with leadership of the 18-agency U.S. intelligence community.
Trump said on Sept. 29 that he would name the czar within three or four days and told Axios that Clayton would be a “good” choice. After the White House’s Super Intelligence Summit, Clayton said, “Superintelligence is a national security issue,” and described U.S. leadership in AI as central to national security.
The AI czar role has been vacant since David Sacks stepped down on March 26 to become co-chair of the President’s Council of Advisers on Science and Technology. Trump announced plans for an “AI Force” modeled on the Space Force on Sept. 19 and ruled out Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent for the czar job on Sept. 25, saying Bessent “doesn’t want to” and that he wanted to keep him at Treasury.
Key sources
- SOURCEmarketbrief.now
- SOURCE@jenniferjjacobs“Jay Clayton likely the final pick for AI czar, and the White House has been discussing having him remain in his current role as director of national intelligence.”x.com
- SUPPORT@choblin29“Clayton said there was also consensus that U.S. leadership in AI is “the most important thing for national security.””x.com
- SUPPORT@deitaone“TRUMP: SCOTT BESSENT WILL NOT BE GOING TO BE SUPER INTELLIGENCE (SI) CZAR.”x.com
- SUPPORT@deitaone“TRUMP: WILL BE NAMING AI CZAR IN NEXT THREE OR FOUR DAYS”x.com
- SUPPORT@garymarcus“wait, wasn’t that literally already part of David Sack’s title?”x.com
- SUPPORT@andrewcurran_“David Sacks stepped down as AI and Crypto Czar on March 26, and is now the co-chair of the President's Council of Advisers on Science & Technology.”x.com
- SUPPORT@jachiam0“President Trump announced that he is changing the name of Artificial Intelligence to Super Intelligence.”x.com