Bessent emerges as leading contender for Trump's new AI czar post
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is a top candidate to lead Trump's planned AI policy effort, though the White House calls the reports premature.
What to know
- Scott Bessent is reported as the leading candidate for Trump's planned AI czar role, alongside contenders Michael Kratsios and Scott Kupor.
- Trump announced the AI czar and 'AI force' initiatives on Truth Social without providing details on scope or implementation.
- The White House has not confirmed any appointment and calls the reports 'baseless speculation'.
- Bessent's AI-related diplomacy with China, including a proposed safety notification mechanism, adds to his profile for the role.
Scott Bessent US Treasury Secretary
Donald Trump US President
Michael Kratsios Director, White House Office of Science and Technology PolicyScott Kupor Director, Office of Personnel ManagementKush Desai White House spokesperson
How it unfolded 2 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articles
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White House dismisses the personnel reports
White House spokesperson Kush Desai said unannounced personnel reports should be treated as baseless speculation, declining to confirm any of the named candidates.
“Any reporting about personnel decisions that have not been officially announced by the administration should be regarded as baseless speculation…”
— Kush Desai -
background
Semafor names Kratsios and Kupor as additional contenders — Citing three people familiar with the matter, Semafor reported Bessent as the leading candidate but said OSTP Director Michael Kratsios and OPM Director Scott Kupor are also under consideration.
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Reuters reports Bessent could become Trump's AI czar
A source familiar with the discussions told Reuters Bessent could take the AI czar role amid growing lawmaker concern over AI risks; Treasury had no immediate comment and a second source said no decision had been made.
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first by The Hindu, 1d ago · also CP24, CTV News, Reuters
1 more headline
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first by Bitcoin Insider, 1d ago · also Cointelegraph
2 more headlines
- US treasury secretary Scott Bessent reportedly in running to become Trump's AI czar crypto.news · 1d ago
- US Treasury secretary emerges as frontrunner for Trump's AI czar role: Report Cointelegraph · 1d ago
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background
Bessent leads US-China AI talks in New York — Bessent met Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng ahead of the Trump-Xi summit, with talks focused heavily on AI; he said Washington proposed an AI safety notification mechanism and a US-China AI dialogue emphasizing national security.
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background
Trump announces plans for an 'AI czar' and 'AI force' — On Truth Social, Trump said he intends to appoint an AI adviser and create an 'AI force' but gave no operational details or timeline.