Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is currently the primary candidate for the position of AI czar in the Trump administration. Sources indicate that no final decision has been made, and the White House has characterized reports on potential personnel appointments as speculative.
Bessent has recently engaged in discussions regarding artificial intelligence with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng. These talks covered the possibility of a formal US-China dialogue on AI and the creation of a notification system for security-related incidents involving the technology.
The Treasury Secretary has publicly stated that responsibility for the actions of AI systems should rest with humans and companies, rather than the technology itself. He may retain his current cabinet position if appointed to the new role, as the administration has previously combined policy coordination duties.
Other potential candidates for the AI czar role include Michael Kratsios, Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and Scott Kupor, Director of the Office of Personnel Management. The topic of AI is expected to be addressed during the meeting between President Trump and President Xi Jinping on September 24.
