President Donald Trump is expected to appoint Jay Clayton, the US director of national intelligence, to oversee artificial intelligence policy and development, according to Cointelegraph, citing reports from CNN and other media. Clayton would reportedly keep his current intelligence post while taking on the additional AI role.
The reported appointment would place a former Securities and Exchange Commission chair at the center of the administration’s effort to guide one of the technology sector’s fastest-growing fields. The position is expected to include responsibility for AI innovation and development, as well as engagement with technology executives who have agreed to “self-police” their companies’ AI models and systems.
No official announcement had been made in the reporting cited. CBS News first identified Clayton as the leading candidate, while a White House official told the outlet that any appointment would be announced by Trump himself and described the reports as speculation.
A proposed AI leadership role
Trump previously said he wanted to establish an “AI Force,” modeled on the US Space Force, and appoint a dedicated artificial intelligence czar. The administration’s stated aim was to manage the rapidly expanding AI industry without introducing regulations that could slow innovation.
The proposed role comes as governments and technology companies debate how quickly AI should advance and how its risks should be controlled. AI systems can be used for a broad range of tasks, while policymakers and industry leaders are also considering questions involving safety, oversight and the limits of voluntary corporate controls.
On Tuesday, Trump brought AI and technology executives to the White House to sign a commitment to “self-police” their companies’ AI models and development. The reported Clayton appointment would therefore combine government oversight with an approach that gives technology companies a direct role in monitoring their own work.
The debate intensified after Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei proposed a three-step plan to slow the pace of AI development to a safer level. Amodei warned that unchecked progress could outpace society’s ability to understand and control the systems being built. Anthropic later selected Accenture as an embedded evaluator to help moderate the pace of development, taking the first step described in the proposal.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk responded positively to Amodei’s proposal. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang took a different position, arguing that such regulation was unnecessary.
Clayton’s government background
Clayton is best known for leading the SEC during Trump’s first term. He later served as interim US attorney for the Southern District of New York before becoming director of national intelligence. The Senate confirmed him in July to lead the US intelligence community.
His experience spans financial-market regulation, federal law enforcement and national security. That background would give the reported AI czar a role connecting technology policy with broader government priorities, although the precise powers and responsibilities of the position have not been publicly detailed in the source reports.
During his confirmation hearing, Clayton described AI as a “game changer,” saying it represented both an opportunity and a threat, according to CNN. The comments indicate that his view of AI includes potential economic and technological benefits as well as security concerns.
The reports say Clayton is expected to remain director of national intelligence if he receives the additional assignment. The arrangement would make the AI post an added responsibility rather than a replacement for his current position.
Earlier crypto and AI policy role
The reported plan also follows the end of David Sacks’ time as Trump’s crypto and AI czar. Sacks, a venture capitalist and White House official, completed 130 days in that position in March. Under US rules, special government employees are limited to 130 days of work during a 12-month period.
Sacks said that his permitted time had been used up. He was expected to continue offering policy recommendations across technology industries as co-chair of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, rather than continuing in the same crypto and AI czar role.
The possible appointment of Clayton would give the administration a new senior figure specifically associated with AI at a time when officials are pursuing both faster innovation and greater attention to potential dangers. Until Trump makes a formal announcement, however, Clayton’s selection remains a reported expectation rather than a confirmed appointment.
Moneyiar market picture
Moneyiar market data at 2026-10-05 09:43-09:44 +03:30 showed the following:
- Polygon (prev. MATIC), now listed as POL, was priced at $0.1104726916, up 1.2% over 24 hours but down 1.58% over seven days.
- OFFICIAL TRUMP traded at $2.0638260438, gaining 1.51% in 24 hours and 4% over seven days.
- Telcoin was priced at $0.0019370812, up 0.29% over 24 hours and 9.02% over seven days.
These market figures describe selected crypto assets and do not measure the value or likely impact of the proposed AI appointment.
