Trump announces “Super Intelligence Force” AI task force led by Jay Clayton
Version 3: Updated with later developments: Newsweek analysed the task force picks, CNET reported Elon Musk will rename SpaceXAI to SpaceXSI to match the rebrand, and Reuters reported the Justice Department told staff to call artificial intelligence “super intelligence” under Trump's order.
In short
President Donald Trump announced Sunday the creation of a “Super Intelligence Force,” a federal task force he said will coordinate government efforts to keep the United States leading in artificial intelligence, which he has directed the federal government to call “Super Intelligence.” The force will be led by Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton with FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson, Pentagon research and engineering chief Emil Michael and Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor, reporting to Trump and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. It followed a White House meeting with major AI companies, and TechCrunch and Engadget, citing The Wall Street Journal, reported it has 120 days to produce a report on AI risks and opportunities; Reuters later reported the Justice Department told staff to use the term “super intelligence.”
Why it matters
The task force places the intelligence community, the antitrust regulator, a Pentagon technology official and the personnel office jointly in charge of coordinating AI policy, a structure that could shape how federal agencies engage AI companies and how much oversight the sector faces. Because the United States is a major center of AI development, the appointments and any report the force produces are likely to be watched by governments and companies abroad, and Reuters reported the rebrand is being extended inside the Justice Department. The documents give no specifics on the force's powers, so its practical effect is not yet clear.
Key facts
- Trump announced the “Super Intelligence Force” in a Sunday post on Truth Social. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]
- The force is tasked with coordinating federal efforts to keep the United States leading in “Super Intelligence,” the term Trump has directed the federal government to use instead of artificial intelligence. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 12 ]
- Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton will lead the force, with FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson, Pentagon research and engineering chief Emil Michael and OPM Director Scott Kupor also leading it. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]
- It will coordinate federal engagement with consumers, public interest groups, religious organizations, critical infrastructure providers and AI companies. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]
- The announcement followed a White House meeting with leaders of OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Meta, Nvidia and SpaceXAI, who signed voluntary safety standards Trump described as “morally binding.” [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 7 , 9 ]
- ABC News reported the announcement was thin on details and did not outline specific action or oversight the task force will have over AI development, and that a White House request for more information was not immediately answered. [ 4 ]
- TechCrunch and Engadget, citing The Wall Street Journal, reported the task force has 120 days to produce a report on the risks and opportunities of AI. [ 7 , 8 ]
- Reuters reported the U.S. Justice Department told staff to call AI “super intelligence” under Trump's order. [ 12 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Trump announced the creation of the “Super Intelligence Force” in a Sunday post on Truth Social. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]
- The force is to coordinate federal efforts to keep the United States leading in “Super Intelligence.” [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]
- Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton will lead the force, with Andrew Ferguson, Emil Michael and Scott Kupor also leading it. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]
- The leaders will report to Trump and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 8 , 9 ]
- The announcement followed a White House meeting with leaders of major AI companies. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 7 , 9 ]
- Trump directed the federal government to use the term “Super Intelligence” instead of artificial intelligence. [ 1 , 3 , 7 , 8 , 12 ]
- Trump said the force will coordinate federal engagement with consumers, public interest groups, religious organizations, critical infrastructure providers and AI companies. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]
Still unclear
- What specific action or oversight authority the task force will have over AI development. ABC News reported the announcement was thin on details and that a White House request for more information was not immediately answered, so the force's powers are undefined in the documents.
- Whether the safety standards signed by tech executives are binding. Documents describe them as “morally binding” (Fox News, CBS News), voluntary safety standards (CBS News), a “constitution” (ABC News) and a non-binding pledge (TechCrunch, Engadget).
- A reported 120-day deadline for the task force to produce a report on the risks and opportunities of AI. TechCrunch and Engadget attribute this to The Wall Street Journal, so it rests on a single underlying source.
- Whether Jay Clayton will formally be named AI czar. Documents say he is expected or reported to take the role rather than confirming it; CBS News attributed the earlier expectation to sources.
- Emil Michael's exact title. ABC News calls him under secretary of defense for research and engineering, while TechCrunch and Engadget call him undersecretary of war for research and engineering.
- Whether the Justice Department directive on the term “super intelligence” is part of the same executive order. Only Reuters reports it, and the document gives no further detail.
- Elon Musk's plan to rename SpaceXAI to SpaceXSI. Only CNET reports this, and it gives no further detail.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Fox News publishes its report on the Truth Social announcement of the “Super Intelligence Force.” [ 1 ]
- CNN reports the announcement and names the full leadership of the force. [ 2 ]
- CBS News reports the announcement and the leaders, citing its earlier reporting that Clayton was likely to be AI czar. [ 3 ]
- ABC News reports the announcement, notes it was thin on details and that the White House did not immediately respond. [ 4 ]
- The Hill reports the creation of the force and that Clayton will lead it. [ 5 ]
- The Washington Post reports the launch after calls for an AI slowdown and lists the agencies involved. [ 6 ]
- TechCrunch reports Clayton will chair the force and that it has 120 days to produce a report, citing The Wall Street Journal. [ 7 ]
- Engadget reports the 120-day deadline and names the leaders. [ 8 ]
- NBC News reports the announcement and adds Clayton's background and David Sacks's earlier role. [ 9 ]
- On Oct. 5, Newsweek publishes an analysis of who is on the force and what the picks signal. [ 10 ]
- On Oct. 5, CNET reports Elon Musk plans to rename SpaceXAI to SpaceXSI to align with the White House directive. [ 11 ]
- On Oct. 6, Reuters reports the Justice Department told staff to call AI “super intelligence” under Trump's order. [ 12 ]