US President Donald Trump is preparing to appoint the current US intelligence director, Jay Clayton, as the government’s adviser on artificial intelligence (AI), several media outlets reported on Friday.
Earlier in the week, the US president said he would soon announce his choice to replace David Sacks, who left the role at the end of March. According to CBS, Trump could keep Jay Clayton in his current position, with the new mandate added to his portfolio.
Clayton has only recently taken office as Director of National Intelligence (DNI), following his confirmation by the Senate at the end of July. Before joining the administration, he served as US Attorney for the Southern District of New York from April 2025.
Jay Clayton is also known for having led the US financial markets regulator, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), from 2017 to 2020, a position to which he was appointed by Donald Trump.
The Virginia native worked as a corporate lawyer for more than two decades, mainly in the financial sector.
Unlike David Sacks, an investor and entrepreneur highly active in Silicon Valley, Clayton has no experience in the technology sector.
The expected appointment of a new AI adviser comes as the issue has gained new importance in recent months, particularly due to growing concerns about developers’ ability to control the technology.
On Tuesday, major AI executives committed to taking several measures to strengthen internal oversight and AI risk management, but without external regulation, which Donald Trump opposes.
