US President Donald Trump has designated the director of national intelligence, Jay Clayton, as head of a new taskforce on artificial intelligence, which the president is unilaterally rebranding as "super intelligence."
In a social media post, Trump said the "Super Intelligence Force" would coordinate the federal government's engagement with consumers, public interest groups, religious organizations, critical infrastructure providers and "Super Intelligence Companies."
The taskforce will include Andrew Ferguson, chair of the Federal Trade Commission, and Emil Michael, undersecretary of defense for research and engineering. It will report directly to Trump and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles.
Trump has rejected the idea of laws to control AI development, despite ongoing debate about the technology's potential risks. Last week, the president and the heads of major AI firms signed a "morally binding" document making them responsible for ensuring the safety of their own technology.
Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat, has criticised the approach and called for regulation.
Trump emphasised the strategic importance of AI leadership, saying the US is ahead of China in the race. "Whoever wins AI, wins," he wrote. Chinese President Xi Jinping recently visited Washington for a state visit. Days later, Trump ruled out a joint venture between the US and China to develop AI, warning against sharing sensitive secrets.