Trump administration considers candidates for new AI adviser role
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President Trump is evaluating several officials to fill a newly created artificial-intelligence adviser position as the government grapples with rapid AI advances and calls for regulation.
President Donald Trump announced on Sept. 19 that he will appoint a new artificial-intelligence adviser and establish an "AI Force" to guide policy on the fast-evolving technology sector. The vacancy follows the departure of former AI and crypto adviser David Sacks, who left after reaching the 130-day limit for special government employees.
Potential candidates include senior White House policy adviser Sriram Krishnan, who helped draft the administration's AI Action Plan and was highlighted in TIME Magazine's 2025 "Persons of the Year" list. Krishnan previously held senior roles at Microsoft, Meta and XAI, and was praised by Trump at a White House event for his contributions to AI initiatives.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is also mentioned as a frontrunner. Bessent has emphasized that AI firms should be liable for the outputs of their models and has engaged in discussions with Chinese officials about a possible U.S.–China communication mechanism for AI-related security incidents. He told the House Financial Services Committee, >"The best way to guarantee safety is that the creators are liable for what they build and generate," and later denied a Reuters report that he had already been asked to take the role.
National Cyber Director Sean Cairncross, who has been involved in the administration's AI policy since 2025, is another name under consideration. Cairncross, a former CEO of the Millennium Challenge Corporation and former RNC chief operating officer, has reportedly clashed with Bessent over the Treasury Department's role in AI matters.
White House Office of Science and Technology Policy director Michael Kratsios, a long-time technology adviser to Trump, has argued against pausing AI development. He said at the United Nations, >"The frontier of intelligence is advancing rapidly. That is not a reason to pause its further development or to constrain it with new global governance structures."
The incoming adviser will face pressure from both industry leaders and lawmakers. Senators Josh Hawley and Richard Blumenthal are advancing the Artificial Intelligence Risk Evaluation Act, with Hawley urging that any new AI czar prioritize the interests of everyday Americans.
"Somebody who’s got everyday citizens’ best interests at heart," Hawley told The Post.
The administration’s selection will shape how the United States balances fostering AI innovation with emerging regulatory concerns.