Trump Plans White House Shake-Up of Key AI Safety Agency

President Donald Trump’s administration is preparing to transfer three senior officials from the Center for Advancing Innovation and Standards for Super Intelligence (CAISSI) to the White House as part of efforts to strengthen oversight of artificial intelligence, The Information reported Monday.

The planned restructuring aims to improve coordination between federal agencies responsible for AI safety, advanced technology development, and national security. The report cited a White House official familiar with the administration’s plans.

According to The Information, the three officials, whose identities have not been publicly disclosed, will report directly to Michael Kratsios, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and National Cyber Director Sean Cairncross.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick appointed Kratsios and Cairncross to jointly oversee CAISSI approximately six months ago, according to a senior Commerce Department official cited in the report.

The proposed leadership changes reportedly follow difficulties coordinating AI policy between the Commerce Department and the White House. A White House official indicated that these challenges demonstrated the importance of bringing CAISSI’s senior leadership closer to the administration’s central AI decision-making process.

CAISSI operates within the Commerce Department and plays a significant role in evaluating advanced artificial intelligence models. Its responsibilities include assessing AI capabilities, identifying potential safety risks, and supporting government efforts to establish testing standards for frontier AI systems before deployment.

Moving senior CAISSI officials to the White House could streamline federal AI oversight and strengthen cooperation among agencies involved in artificial intelligence regulation, cybersecurity, and technological innovation.

The restructuring comes as the Trump administration increases its focus on maintaining American competitiveness in the rapidly expanding global AI industry.

Earlier this month, Trump appointed Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton as the administration’s AI czar, assigning him responsibility for coordinating federal initiatives aimed at preserving US leadership in artificial intelligence.

The appointment reflects the administration’s broader strategy of centralizing AI policy coordination while balancing technological advancement with national security considerations.

Neither the White House nor the Commerce Department was immediately available to comment on the reported personnel changes.

The proposed transfer highlights Washington’s growing emphasis on strengthening federal oversight of powerful AI systems as competition in artificial intelligence development continues to intensify worldwide.