Trump Considers Jay Clayton for White House AI Role

President Donald Trump is considering Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton for a new White House role coordinating artificial intelligence policy, but has not announced an appointment or defined the position’s authority. Trump told Axios that Clayton would make a good AI czar and said he expected to choose someone within three or four days, according to accounts of the interview. The White House has not confirmed Clayton’s selection. An official said personnel announcements would come directly from the president and characterized reports about the choice as speculation. Trump’s favorable comment, made after Clayton’s name was raised, does not establish that an offer has been made or accepted. Clayton twice declined to answer directly in a television interview whether he would take the job if offered, according to one account. The proposed role’s responsibilities and relationship with existing federal agencies have not been publicly laid out. Clayton currently leads the U.S. intelligence community as director of national intelligence, a position he assumed in August after Senate confirmation.