US President Donald Trump announced the creation of a new federal structure called the “Super Intelligence Force“ (SIF). It will coordinate the US government's actions in the field of artificial intelligence, and Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton will be at the helm.
Trump described Clayton as the “king” of artificial intelligence. In a post on the social network Truth Social, the president said that the task of the structure is to ensure US leadership in the field of “super intelligence” and “to protect the interests and improve the lives of all Americans“.
The SIF will also be chaired by Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew Ferguson, Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Emile Michael, and Director of the Office of Personnel Management Scott Cooper. The group will report directly to Trump and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles.
120-Day Report
The first task of the new structure is to prepare a report on the risks and opportunities associated with the development of artificial intelligence within 120 days. The document should also contain recommendations on what the federal government's role should be in dealing with the rapidly developing technology, the Wall Street Journal reported.
The SIF's work will include contacts with consumers, community and religious organizations, critical infrastructure providers and technology companies. The specific status of the structure and the mechanisms through which it will exercise its coordination functions have not yet been detailed.
Change in terminology
The creation of the SIF comes a few weeks after Trump announced plans for an “Artificial Intelligence Force“ and the appointment of a special coordinator. Subsequently, the president began replacing the term “artificial intelligence“ with “superintelligence“ in the official language of the administration.
On September 29, the White House issued an executive order ordering federal agencies to use “Super Intelligence“ and the acronym “SI“ instead of “Artificial Intelligence“ and “AI“ in official correspondence, public announcements and policy documents.
The new initiative comes amid a debate over the appropriate level of control over the technology. Some technology executives and researchers have warned of potential risks and urged more active safety measures. Trump has rejected the idea of excessive regulation, saying it could reduce the US's competitiveness against China.
Sources: Meja, Reuters, Wall Street Journal