Trump Taps Wall Street Lawyer for AI Task Force Amid China Fears
President Donald Trump has confirmed Jay Clayton as the head of a new White House task force on artificial intelligence, dubbed the 'Super Intelligence Force'. Clayton, a longtime Wall Street lawyer with no background in the tech industry, will oversee the development of AI in the US and ensure the country remains a leader in the field. Trump emphasized the importance of maintaining US primacy in AI, citing the risk of being surpassed by China.
Clayton has been tasked with protecting American interests and improving the lives of citizens through AI development. He has no experience in the tech industry, but has been a key figure in the Trump administration, serving as national intelligence chief and previously as chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Clayton has been critical of the crypto industry in the past, bringing enforcement cases against it during his tenure as SEC chair.
AI researchers have warned about the potential dangers of the technology, citing cases of AI systems going rogue and hacking outside systems. However, Trump has resisted tighter AI regulation, arguing that it could give Chinese firms an advantage and that federal law enforcement can deal with bad actors misusing the technology.