Trump's Super Intelligence Force: Keep Building, Watch the Risks
DNI Jay Clayton will lead a 120-day Super Intelligence Force after tech CEOs signed a White House safety accord. In our view, America can lead without choking the industry, but voluntary promises need follow-through.
By Clara Hughes
ALTAS WORLD NEWS OPINION | By Clara Hughes, Chief Opinion Editor | October 5, 2026 | 6-min read America leads the world in advanced computing. The question is whether Washington will smother that lead, ignore the risks, or steer a middle course. Over the weekend, President Trump named Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton to lead a new Super Intelligence Force with 120 days to study risks, opportunities and the federal role [1][2]. The move follows a White House accord in which frontier tech CEOs accepted voluntary safety commitments the President called "morally binding" [1][3]. In our view, that is the right instinct: keep building, watch the dangers, and refuse a regulatory panic that would hand the future to Beijing. Key Takeaways Clayton will lead the Super Intelligence Force with FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson, Defense undersecretary Emil Michael and OPM Director Scott Kupor, reporting to Trump and Chief of Staff Susie Wiles [1][2]. The task force has 120 days to research AI risks and opportunities and recommend federal responsibilities [1]. An earlier executive order directed agencies to use "Super Intelligence" and "SI" in place of "Artificial Intelligence" where law allows, and to propose a federal definition within 60 days [4]. Names matter less than outcomes. What Americans need is American leadership in the technology, with guardrails that catch bad actors without freezing the labs that make us strong. What Was Announced CNBC reports Clayton, a former SEC chair confirmed as DNI in July, will keep his intelligence post while adding the AI czar role [1]. Trump said the force will coordinate federal engagement with consumers, public-interest groups, religious organizations, critical-infrastructure providers and Super Intelligence companies [1]. NBC News and POLITICO place the announcement after the