Trump Creates an AI Body That Reports Straight to the President
The "Super Intelligence Force" will handle communication between AI companies, critical infrastructure operators, consumers and public interest groups, and the government. The reason "super intelligence" is in the name: an executive order that told the administration to call AI by that term.
US President Donald Trump announced on October 4 (local time) the creation of a “Super Intelligence Force” to coordinate AI-related work across the federal government. The announcement filled in the details of the dedicated AI body he had previously signaled, naming it and identifying who will lead it and who it will work with. The group reports directly to the president and to White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles.
What the new body will do
Its central job is to coordinate communication between the federal government, AI companies and civil society groups. Trump named AI firms and critical infrastructure operators as partners, and also included consumers, public interest groups and religious organizations. The idea, according to the announcement, is to take in the views of consumers and civic groups as well as the companies that build and operate AI systems.
Four names were released as leaders of the effort, including Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton, along with senior officials from the Federal Trade Commission, the Department of Defense and the Office of Personnel Management. The Decoder reported that other government officials beyond those four named individuals will also help lead the body. Trump said the group’s purpose is to keep the United States ahead in AI and to protect the interests of the American public.
Why “super intelligence” is in the name
In a September 29 executive order, the White House directed that official administration documents use the term “super intelligence” (SI) in place of “artificial intelligence” (AI). The order defined both terms as covering the same scope of technology. That terminology change is why “Super Intelligence” appears in the new body’s name.
When will its authority and budget be spelled out?
Trump did not disclose the body’s authority, how it will operate, its budget or a launch timeline. All he laid out was the structure: officials from multiple agencies taking part, reporting directly to the president and the chief of staff. How it will actually work in practice is expected to emerge in follow-up announcements.
For Korean companies and users, the significance is that the US government now has a channel for gathering AI-related input and coordinating work. It remains to be seen what regulatory and oversight responsibilities this channel will take on. Gauging the impact will require first seeing the body’s specific powers and the actions it takes.