US President Donald Trump has announced the establishment of a new artificial intelligence task force. The group, named the 'Super Intelligence Force', will be led by Director of the National Intelligence Jay Clayton.
The task force is tasked with ensuring that the United States continues to lead in the development of this technology. Additionally, the 'Super Intelligence Force' will coordinate the federal government's engagement with the public, Trump stated.
Trump announced the task force on Sunday. According to him, the group will coordinate the federal government's engagement with consumers, public interest groups, religious organisations, critical infrastructure providers, and superintelligence companies.
The task force will include Andrew Ferguson, the chair of the Federal Trade Commission. Emil Michael, the under secretary for research and engineering at the Department of Defense, will also be a member. Trump has appointed Scott Kupor, director of the Office of Management and Budget, to the task force.
The task force will report directly to the President and the White House Chief of Staff, Susie Wiles.
The announcement comes amid growing pressure from prominent figures, including the leaders of OpenAI and Anthropic, for increased regulation of the technology. In an interview published on 4 October, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman stated that the use of artificial intelligence justifies accepting certain risks. Altman told the tech newsletter Decoded that the world must accept that some bad things happen due to the benefits of the technology and because people have agency. He advocated for the technology to remain accessible to the public.
Trump has dismissed calls for stricter oversight, largely leaving artificial intelligence companies to regulate themselves. Last week, he stated that he would establish a board to oversee AI safety. Leaders of major technology companies have signed a pact, which Trump described as 'morally binding', regarding the regulation of this technology. The pact, signed on 29 September, includes the signatures of executives from major technology companies such as OpenAI, Anthropic, SpaceX, and Google.
On the same day, the President signed an executive order renaming artificial intelligence to 'superintelligence'. Trump had previously stated that the word 'artificial' implies that the technology is 'fake'. Some experts have questioned the logic of the renaming, arguing that the use of the term 'superintelligence' could cause confusion, as it refers to more advanced systems.
The new name has already been adopted by some leading technology executives, including billionaire Elon Musk. Musk said on social media on Sunday that he would rename his company's AI platform, SpaceX, to 'SpaceXSI'. He stated that SpaceX is a superintelligence company. Musk was recently returned to the US government to be part of a project studying the future of warfare. He previously served in the Trump administration, heading the so-called Department of Government Efficiency. His term ended following a public dispute with Trump.
