President-elect Trump is considering appointing an AI czar in the White House to oversee federal policy and the government's use of artificial intelligence, according to Trump transition sources shared with Axios.
Although Elon Musk won't hold the AI czar title, sources indicate he is expected to play a significant role in shaping AI policies and applications.
The establishment of the AI czar position appears likely but isn't guaranteed. Musk, along with Vivek Ramaswamy—leaders of Trump's new external advisory group, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—will influence the selection process.
As the owner of AI firm xAI, Musk has publicly clashed with rival CEOs like Sam Altman of OpenAI and Sundar Pichai of Google. Critics fear Musk may leverage his influence with Trump to benefit his companies.
Trump, motivated in part by the broad coalition that supported his election, plans to prioritize emerging technologies. Bloomberg recently reported that Trump's team is also considering a cryptocurrency czar, potentially combining the AI and crypto roles under an "emerging-tech czar."
The AI czar would focus on maintaining America’s global leadership in AI by coordinating public and private efforts.
Key responsibilities for the AI czar would include collaborating with agency AI officers established under President Biden’s executive order, working with DOGE to combat inefficiencies like waste and fraud through AI-driven solutions, and driving private investment to enhance the energy supply, ensuring the U.S. stays at the forefront of innovation.
The concept has been discussed for months within Trump’s transition team as part of structural changes to prioritize his key initiatives. The model mirrors Trump's National Energy Council, chaired by North Dakota Gov.
Doug Burgum, with fracking executive Chris Wright as a member. The council aims to achieve "U.S. ENERGY DOMINANCE" by cutting regulations, encouraging private sector investments, and emphasizing innovation.
An AI czar wouldn’t require Senate confirmation, allowing the appointee to quickly advance the administration's goals. In contrast, the Biden administration, hampered by a slim Senate majority, left the U.S. chief technology officer role unfilled.
Instead, other officials at the OSTP, along with Vice President Harris, managed AI-related initiatives.