President Donald Trump created a federal task force named the Super Intelligence Force, appointing Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton to lead an administration-wide effort to coordinate artificial intelligence policy, protect American interests, and engage with public and private sector leaders following a recent White House accord.
The newly formed task force was announced on Sunday, arriving just days after the administration executed a series of high-level meetings with major technology executives and signed voluntary safety standards at the White House. The initiative pulls together leaders from defense, intelligence, trade, and federal personnel operations to shape how the country approaches advanced computing technology.
Jay Clayton Directs the New Task Force
Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton will chair the Super Intelligence Force, filling what reporting describes as an AI czar role for the administration. Clayton took office as national intelligence director in August after lawmakers rejected an earlier nominee, bringing a legal and regulatory background that includes serving as United States attorney for the Southern District of New York and chairing the Securities and Exchange Commission during the first Trump administration.
Other members of the leadership team include Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew Ferguson, Under Secretary of Defense for Research, Engineering Emil Michael, and Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor. The group reports directly to the president and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. Clayton previously noted the strategic necessity of maintaining a technological edge, remarking that the risks of falling behind international rivals remain high.
The risk of not being first is high.
Jay Clayton, Director of National Intelligence
Executive Order 14434 Mandates Super Intelligence Terminology
The creation of the new body follows an executive order signed on September 29 titled Inaugurating the Era of Super Intelligence. That directive instructs executive branch agencies to replace the terms artificial intelligence and AI with super intelligence and SI in official communications and non-statutory documents wherever permitted by law.
The change responds to the president’s stated view that the word artificial makes the underlying technology sound fake. However, the order does not immediately establish a distinct technical category. It applies the existing statutory definition under Title 15 of the United States Code to the new terminology while directing the Assistant to the President for Science and Technology to submit proposed legislative language within 60 days to evaluate whether the legal definition should be modified.
Industry Leaders Sign Voluntary Safety Standards
The task force announcement follows a high-profile gathering of senior executives from companies including OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Meta, Nvidia, and Elon Musk’s SpaceXAI. Those industry leaders signed what the president termed a morally binding accord committing to internal evaluations, external firm audits, and board reviews.
While the administration has largely favored self-regulation over mandatory federal rules, industry voices have offered varied perspectives on managing the technology’s trajectory. In a recent interview, OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman argued that society must accept certain risks to harness the benefits of advanced computing systems.
The world should accept some bad things happening for the benefits of this technology and people having the agency.
Sam Altman, Chief Executive of OpenAI
Other executives emphasized cooperation during the White House meetings. Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg stated that leaders want to give customers confidence that systems operate as intended, while Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei stressed the importance of working alongside the administration to win safely.
Task Force Given 120 Days to Report
The Super Intelligence Force is tasked with coordinating federal engagement across a broad spectrum of American society, including consumers, public interest groups, religious organizations, critical infrastructure providers, and developers of advanced systems.
According to reporting on the task force’s charter, the group has been given 120 days to examine the risks and opportunities presented by the technology and recommend a formal role for the federal government. The panel will also evaluate existing incident-reporting mechanisms for security breaches and consider ways to strengthen government responses using current statutory authorities.
