This potential choice comes amid growing calls for government intervention in rapidly evolving technology.
Published October 2, 2026
US President Donald Trump is expected to appoint spy director Jay Clayton to oversee the development of the country’s artificial intelligence industry, according to multiple reports.
CNN, CBS, and Axios have reported that President Trump plans to nominate the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) as a candidate for the so-called “AI czar.” The decision could be announced as early as Friday.
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President Trump announced on social media last month that he would name a new AI czar, amid growing calls for the government to intervene in rapidly evolving technology. “Only high IQ people should apply!” he wrote.
President Trump already has one AI czar in venture capitalist David Sachs. He resigned earlier this year to become an outside advisor to the president.
Clayton, who previously served as the attorney for the Southern District of New York and as chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in July to oversee the nation’s spy agencies. He replaced Bill Pruitt, a controversial Trump supporter who was appointed by the president to serve as acting director of the U.S. intelligence community.
It’s unclear whether Creighton will take on the role of AI czar in addition to his duties as DNI.
A White House official told Al Jazeera: “Any personnel announcements are made directly by the president. Any previous reports are baseless speculation.”
Clayton’s possible choice comes after several AI researchers warned that the technology could kill humans within a decade.
humanity’s problems
The announcement also comes as AI giant Anthropic prepares for a major initial public offering (IPO) scheduled for next month, warning that the U.S. government’s attitude toward the company could impact its operations.
The AI company said attacks and lawsuits against its technology by the Trump administration could damage its relationships with customers and other government partners, according to an IPO prospectus seen by Reuters. The filing also found that AI could pose “catastrophic or existential risks to humanity.”
A federal appeals court ruled last week that the U.S. government could blacklist Anthropic from Pentagon contracts. The court said the agency’s “conclusion was well supported” that the company’s products pose a supply chain risk to the Department of Defense and its contractors due to codes that prevent them from performing certain tasks. Anthropic said it would not allow its technology to be used for autonomous weapons or surveillance.
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and Clayton attended an AI conference held at the White House on Tuesday. Creighton also attended a state dinner at the White House for Chinese President Xi Jinping as a guest last month.
Last month, President Trump slammed Amodei over his pleas to slow down AI, calling concerns about the technology a “hoax” and a “fraud.” President Trump also slammed the public’s backlash against data centers.
Amid public backlash against the facility, Amazon announced Friday that it will invest $1 billion over the next five years in the U.S. communities where it operates. Matt Garman, CEO of the company’s cloud computing business, said in a blog post that the money will go towards education, job training, water conservation projects and other local priorities.
