US President Donald Trump is expected to name Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton as the White House's new artificial intelligence czar.
CNN citing two people familiar with the discussions reported that Trump could announce Clayton's appointment as early as Friday. The White House, however, has not formally confirmed the move.
“Any personnel announcement will be announced directly by the President. Any reporting until then is baseless speculation,” a White House official told CNN.
If appointed, Clayton is expected to retain his current role as director of national intelligence while taking on the additional responsibility of overseeing the administration's AI efforts.
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Trump announced last month that he planned to establish an AI Force and appoint an AI czar as his administration faces growing calls for safeguards around the rapidly expanding technology. The president has increasingly focused on maintaining US leadership in artificial intelligence, particularly amid competition with China.
Clayton's potential appointment comes days after Trump hosted several leading technology and AI executives at the White House. The meeting resulted in a new commitment aimed at encouraging companies to strengthen self-policing of their AI models.
Trump had previously told Axios that Clayton could be a good choice for the role. CBS News separately reported that Clayton was the leading candidate.
Clayton brings experience from both financial regulation and national security. He served as chairman of the US Securities and Exchange Commission for most of Trump's first term and was previously the top federal prosecutor in Manhattan.
The Senate confirmed Clayton in July as director of national intelligence, putting him in charge of the US intelligence community. He succeeded Bill Pulte, who served as acting intelligence chief for about 40 days.
During his confirmation hearing, Clayton described AI as both a major opportunity and a potential threat. “When something's both an opportunity and a threat, you better get your arms around it,” Clayton said at the time.
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The AI czar position was previously held by venture capitalist David Sacks, who also oversaw cryptocurrency policy for the Trump administration. Sacks stepped down from the role in March 2026 after reaching the time limit applicable to his position as a special government employee. He continues to serve as co-chair of Trump's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.
Trump said on Tuesday that he was very close to deciding on his next AI czar and expected to make the announcement within three or four days. He said he wanted to consult AI companies and House Republican leadership before finalising the choice.
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