Trump Establishes AI Task Force to Address Technology Development

US President Donald Trump announced on October 1, 2026, the formation of a White House task force to coordinate the administration's response to artificial intelligence (AI). The task force will be led by director of national intelligence Jay Clayton, chairman of the Federal Trade Commission Andrew Ferguson, Pentagon chief technology officer Emil Michael, and director of the Office of Personnel Management Scott Kupor. The group has been named the "Super Intelligence Force" or SI, reflecting the president's preferred terminology over AI. Trump stated that the Super Intelligence Force will engage with consumers, public interest groups, religious organizations, critical infrastructure providers, and super intelligence companies. In a post on Truth Social, Trump emphasized that the administration would not hinder the growth of the AI industry, stating, "We will cherish it, help it, and watch over it, as it grows!" This announcement follows Trump's earlier commitment in September to create a new AI force to oversee the technology's development while opposing strict regulations that would codify AI safety measures into law. As the midterm elections approach, Trump faces pressure to address concerns regarding AI risks. Notably, AI researchers and tech CEOs have raised alarms about potential existential threats posed by the technology. Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, recently called for a global slowdown in AI development, a sentiment echoed by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. In late September, Trump hosted a lunch with nearly 20 tech leaders, where they discussed the need for "tremendous self-regulation" by tech companies. The tech leaders signed a one-page document encouraging voluntary adherence to safety commitments, although the agreement is not an official order.