Intelligence officials report talks with 20 to 25 AI companies under Jay Clayton’s SIF

The US intelligence community has a new set of contacts: somewhere between 20 and 25 AI companies. Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton has confirmed that US intelligence and AI officials are in active dialogue with that group of firms. The talks come as Washington tries to decide how it governs a technology it now openly treats as a national security matter. Who is talking, and why now President Donald Trump appointed Clayton to lead a newly created body called the Super Intelligence Force, or SIF, around October 3-4, 2026. The SIF’s job is to coordinate federal AI policy and engage with the people building the technology, including the major AI companies. The administration prefers the term “super intelligence” for what most people simply call AI. The task force also has a deadline. It is required to produce a report on AI risks and opportunities within 120 days of its formation. The SIF’s roster includes FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson alongside military representatives. The accord that came first A White House meeting held on September 29-30 brought together leaders from prominent AI firms, including OpenAI, Google, and Nvidia. At that meeting, executives committed to a v...