Trump plans to name a new artificial intelligence adviser, a role colloquially known as the 'AI czar,' and launch an 'AI force,' he said Saturday. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is the frontrunner for that chair, according to a source familiar with the internal deliberations. The development signals a major pivot in the administration's approach to technology governance, even as the President has publicly dismissed calls for stricter regulation.
Bessent, a former hedge fund manager, currently juggles a heavy portfolio of duties. He led high-stakes talks with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in New York on Sunday, just ahead of the Trump-Xi summit in Washington. Those discussions centered heavily on national security implications of AI, with Bessent proposing a new safety notification mechanism and a US-China dialogue framework. Assigning him this new role could strain his bandwidth, given his current oversight of trade policy, critical mineral negotiations with Ukraine, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Washington is divided on this strategy. Lawmakers are growing anxious about the unchecked risks of advanced algorithms, yet Trump has repeatedly argued that additional regulation is unnecessary. The 'AI force' concept remains vague; the President offered no details on budget, staffing, or operational scope. Semafor first reported the potential appointment, a story the Treasury Department has not yet commented on.
The timing is tight. With the summit with President Xi Jinping looming this week in Washington, Bessent’s dual focus on diplomatic engagement and domestic tech policy creates a logistical challenge. If confirmed, Bessent will likely step back from some of his current financial regulatory roles to prioritize the new tech mandate. The White House is expected to formalize the appointment in the coming days, potentially before the summit concludes.