PHOTO: REUTERS
Trump says Treasury’s Scott Bessent will not be his AI czar
· The Straits Times- Donald Trump announced Scott Bessent will not be appointed as the US AI czar, preferring him to stay as Treasury secretary due to his strong performance.
- Trump plans to appoint an AI adviser and create an AI force but has not shared details on implementation or leadership.
- Bessent led AI talks with China focusing on safety and national security, while Trump downplays AI risks amid growing global concerns and calls for regulation.
WASHINGTON - Scott Bessent will not be Donald Trump’s AI czar, the Republican president said on Sept 25, adding that he wants his US Treasury secretary to remain in his current role.
“Scott Bessent will not be going to be Super Intelligence (SI) Czar. Number One, he doesn’t want to. Number Two, he’s doing such a great job at Treasury, and that’s where I want to keep him! Why would I ever make such a change?” Trump said, in a social media post, using his preferred term for artificial intelligence.
Last week, Trump said he plans to appoint an artificial intelligence adviser, known as an “AI czar,” and create an “AI force,” though he gave no details about either initiative or how they would be implemented.
Some had seen Bessent as a frontrunner for the role. On Sept 20, he had led talks heavily focused on AI with Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng in New York, ahead of this week’s summit between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington.
Bessent told reporters after the talks that the US side had proposed an AI safety notification mechanism and bilateral dialogue on the issue, with a particular emphasis on national security concerns.
The White House did not immediately provide details on who might be tapped for its AI czar.
Trump has repeatedly downplayed concerns about AI and argued that additional regulation is unnecessary even as fears grow among lawmakers in Washington and globally about risks posed by the technology.
Top AI researchers have warned that people building AI believe it could kill humans within a decade, following cases of AI agents going rogue to hack external systems.
Several Democratic and Republican lawmakers have responded with alarm and calls for more action. REUTERS