From Jay Clayton to Andrew Ferguson: Meet the team that will lead Trump's ‘Super Intelligence Force’

US President Donald Trump on Sunday (local time) announced the formation of a “Super Intelligence Force” to coordinate the government’s efforts on the technology and named Jay Clayton, the National Intelligence Director, to lead it.

Along with Clayton, some other members of the task force include Andrew Ferguson, chair of the Federal Trade Commission; Emil Michael, Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering; and Director of the Office of Personnel Management Scott Kupor.

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Trump launches SIF

Trump made the announcement in a Truth Social post and wrote, “Following the Historic White House Accord on Super Intelligence, where the World's most important Technology Companies came together and confirmed their responsibilities to the American People, I am announcing the formation of the Super Intelligence Force (SIF).”

The US President added that the force will be tasked with “coordinating the effort of the Federal Government to ensure that America continues to lead the World in Super Intelligence, which many say is bigger than the Industrial Revolution and the Internet, and will protect the interests and improve the lives of all Americans. The Super Intelligence Force will coordinate the Federal Government's engagement with Consumers, Public Interest Groups, and Religious Organizations.”

Here's all you need to know about Trump's SIF team

Jay Clayton: Before becoming Director of National Intelligence, Clayton served as the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York. According to a BBN Times report, Clayton also chaired the Securities and Exchange Commission during Trump's first term. Born on July 11, 1966, he grew up in Pennsylvania and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1988 with a degree in engineering. He also studied at the University of Cambridge and later returned to the University of Pennsylvania for law school.

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Andrew Ferguson: The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chair Ferguson has previously served as solicitor general of the Commonwealth of Virginia and as chief counsel to US Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. Ferguson has also served as Republican counsel on the US Senate Judiciary Committee. According to the FTC, Ferguson has practiced law at several firms in Washington. He earned his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Virginia. After law school, he clerked for Judge Karen L. Henderson on the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit and US Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.

Emil Michael: Michael serves as the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering (USW(R&E)) and Chief Technology Officer for the Department of War (DoW), where he leads the Department's efforts to ensure US military technological superiority and keep the DoW at the forefront of innovation. He holds a B.A. from Harvard University and a J.D. with honors from Stanford Law School. He has worked as an investment banking associate at Goldman Sachs and as a senior vice president of field operations at Tellme Networks. Before joining the Trump administration, he was Uber's chief business officer from 2013 to 2017.

Scott Kupor: Kupor serves as the Director of the Office of Personnel Management and leads the Trump administration's efforts to build a high-performing, accountable, and mission-driven workforce. Before joining OPM, Kupor served as a managing partner at Andreessen Horowitz, a venture capital firm he helped build from its inception in 2009 into one of the largest in the United States, managing more than $45 billion in assets. He previously held senior leadership roles at a pioneering web hosting company acquired by Hewlett Packard (HP). Kupor earned his B.A. and J.D. from Stanford University. He is originally from Houston, Texas, and is married to Laura, with whom he has three daughters.

The announcement of the SIF comes a month after Trump said that he would establish an AI task force, as the technology has emerged as a contentious issue in Washington and elsewhere. While some lawmakers have pushed for a hands-off approach, others have called for regulatory measures.