Trump names national intelligence director Jay Clayton to lead a new federal AI task force

President Donald Trump has tapped his director of national intelligence, Jay Clayton, to lead a new government task force on artificial intelligence.

President Trump announced on Sunday that he has appointed former SEC chairman Jay Clayton to lead a new federal AI task force. Clayton, who chaired the Securities and Exchange Commission from 2017 to 2020, will coordinate efforts across the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the Department of Commerce, and the National Science Foundation. The task force is slated to receive an initial $45 million in funding from the FY 2025 discretionary budget, with a mandate to produce a framework for AI risk assessment within 12 months. White House press secretary Karine Jean‑Pierre confirmed the appointment during the daily briefing on October 27 2024.

Companies that provide AI‑powered cloud services will likely need to spend additional funds on compliance with the task force’s forthcoming guidelines. Industry analysts estimate that meeting these requirements could raise operating costs by 4 to 6 percent for mid‑size firms. Those added costs often translate into modest price increases for end‑users who subscribe to AI‑driven platforms such as video‑streaming recommendation tools or automated customer‑service chatbots.

The United States has lacked a unified federal strategy for AI since the expiration of the National AI Initiative Act’s five‑year plan in 2023. In response, several agencies issued overlapping guidance, creating confusion for developers and investors. Clayton’s background in securities regulation suggests the task force will prioritize transparency and market‑integrity concerns over pure technical standards. Insiders say the move aims to pre‑empt a potential congressional push for a standalone AI agency that has been debated since 2022.

The task force is scheduled to publish its first draft risk‑assessment framework on March 15 2025, followed by a 60‑day public comment period. A Senate Commerce Committee hearing on the nomination of Clayton’s deputy director is set for April 2 2025. Surprisingly, the draft will be released under a Creative Commons license, allowing private companies to reuse the guidelines without fee.