President Donald Trump has announced the formation of a new Super Intelligence Force, which he said will be led by national intelligence director Jay Clayton and other members of his administration. The announcement comes after months of Trump dismissing AI safety debates as a hoax created by “Radical Left Dumocrats,” but now he is embracing the technology with a new branding strategy.
“The Super Intelligence Force is tasked with coordinating the effort of the Federal Government to ensure that America continues to lead the World in Super Intelligence, which many say is bigger than the Industrial Revolution, and the Internet, and will protect the interests, and improve the lives, of all Americans,” Trump said in a Sunday morning post on his social network Truth Social.
Naming the Force
The name itself is a deliberate echo of the branding adopted by tech executives who gathered at the White House this week to sign a non-binding safety pledge. The pledge included an impressive typo. Trump’s executive order sought to rebrand AI as “super intelligence,” a term that seems to have been embraced, with some stumbles, by those same executives.
So it’s only natural that Trump’s new task force is named in accordance with this new branding. The Wall Street Journal reports that Clayton will chair the Super Intelligence Force, effectively making him the new AI/SI czar. The vice chairs are Federal Trade Commission Chair Andrew Ferguson, Undersecretary of War for Research and Engineering Emil Michael, and Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor.
The Leadership Team
The vice chairs bring a mix of expertise:
- Andrew Ferguson, Federal Trade Commission Chair
- Emil Michael, Undersecretary of War for Research and Engineering
- Scott Kupor, Office of Personnel Management Director
Each of these officials holds significant power within their respective agencies, giving the task force broad authority across government functions.
The 120-Day Deadline
The task force has reportedly 120 days to create a report on the risks and opportunities presented by AI. That timeline suggests the administration wants a product quickly, though the exact deadline has not been confirmed.
Clayton, who previously said it would be irresponsible for the United States to “back away” from AI while countries like China advance, made similar comments to the WSJ. He insisted that one of the biggest risks is “not being first.”
The Charter’s Goals
The task force’s charter reportedly says that it will “develop plans for responding to SI-enabled threats to our society, while preventing overregulation and regulatory capture that would stifle innovation and competition.” This language reflects a tension at the heart of the administration’s approach: the desire to lead on super intelligence while avoiding rules that might slow down American companies.
The charter also says the force will develop plans for responding to SI-enabled threats, which is consistent with Trump’s framing of the issue as both an economic imperative and a moral obligation.
The Typo in the Pledge
The White House gathering this week drew tech executives who signed a non-binding safety pledge. The pledge included an impressive typo, according to reports. That detail adds a layer of irony to the whole enterprise, given that the administration is now positioning itself as the arbiter of super intelligence.
Trump’s embrace of the term “super intelligence” is part of a broader effort to reframe the conversation around AI. By renaming the field, the administration hopes to signal that it is leading the future rather than reacting to it.
The Czar’s Record on AI
Clayton has been vocal about the importance of American leadership in AI. His previous statements about the dangers of falling behind China suggest that the task force will lean heavily on a competitive framework.
The administration’s approach appears to be a mix of aggressive promotion and cautious regulation. The charter’s emphasis on preventing overregulation and regulatory capture suggests that the task force will push back against rules that could slow innovation.
Comparing the Two Efforts
| Effort | Purpose | Key Figures |
|---|---|---|
| Trump’s Super Intelligence Force | Coordinate federal AI efforts, lead the world in super intelligence | Jay Clayton (chair), Andrew Ferguson, Emil Michael, Scott Kupor |
| White House Safety Pledge | Non-binding commitment to AI safety | Tech executives |
The creation of the Super Intelligence Force represents a significant shift in how the administration engages with AI. Rather than dismissing the field as a hoax, Trump is now positioning himself as a leader in it.
The task force’s mandate to coordinate the federal government’s efforts means that agencies across the executive branch will have to align their approaches. The 120-day deadline is a clear signal that the administration wants results quickly.
The irony is inescapable. The same tech executives who gathered at the White House with a pledge full of typos are now being emulated by the president himself.
The task force’s focus on preventing overregulation while still developing responses to SI-enabled threats is a delicate balance. It will be watched closely by companies that want to innovate freely and by citizens who want protection from the risks.
The Super Intelligence Force is now in operation, and the report is due in 120 days. The next few months will show whether the administration can deliver on its promise to lead the world in this new field.
Source material: “Trump unveils his new Super Intelligence Force,” TechCrunch.
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