Overview
- Multiple outlets reported Tuesday that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is the leading candidate to be the White House’s new AI czar, though no appointment has been announced.
- The White House pushed back on published reports, with spokesman Kush Desai calling unannounced personnel coverage "baseless speculation."
- Bessent held talks with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng about a proposed U.S.-China notification mechanism to alert each side to AI incidents that could pose national security risks and discussed creating a formal bilateral AI dialogue.
- Key details about the planned "AI Force" — including its powers, membership, and whether the czar would keep a cabinet post — remain undefined, and the position follows a temporary earlier czar role held by David Sacks.
- If confirmed, Bessent’s selection would likely shape an administration approach that leans on industry accountability and existing laws rather than broad new rules and that prioritizes channels for managing cross-border AI risks.