U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is being floated as the "AI czar" who would oversee President Donald Trump's new artificial intelligence policy, according to reports. Should Bessent, who has led the administration's external economic negotiations and sanctions policy, also take charge of AI policy, his influence within the Trump administration would grow further.
Reuters reported on the 22nd, citing sources, that Bessent is under consideration as Trump's AI czar. The sources said no final decision has been made.
Trump said on the 10th that he planned to appoint an AI adviser, or AI czar, and create an "AI Force." He did not disclose the specific roles or operating structure of either initiative. U.S. news outlet Semafor first reported the possibility of Bessent taking the AI czar role, but the Treasury Department declined to comment.
While concerns are mounting in Washington political circles over the risks posed by AI technology, Trump has maintained that additional regulation is unnecessary. He has emphasized expanding U.S. competitiveness in AI rather than tightening rules on the industry.
Bessent has also raised his profile in recent AI policy discussions. He led talks with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in New York on the 20th, ahead of a summit between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping to be held in Washington. AI issues were a central focus of those talks. Asked in an earlier CNBC interview whether he opposed tighter regulation of the AI industry, he said, "It is humans, not AI, that bear responsibility," adding that companies should not expect legal immunity from the government.
Handing Bessent the AI czar role would make the concentration of authority even more pronounced. Trump has tasked him with leading a sweeping overhaul of U.S. trade policy and with negotiations on Ukraine and critical minerals. He currently also serves as acting commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service. The Treasury Department is separately leading efforts to isolate Iran economically through sanctions and other measures.
