Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton told CNBC that U.S. companies and the Trump administration must remain vigilant against foreign espionage as the competition for artificial intelligence dominance intensifies. Speaking on "Squawk Box" on Friday, Clayton stated that both the private sector and the government need to be wary of these threats.
Clayton argued that artificial intelligence amplifies existing cybersecurity risks to U.S. digital infrastructure, which is interconnected with critical systems supporting public goods, national defense, and global communications. He explained that this is why the government is focused on hardening these systems and using its commitment to leadership to stay ahead of nefarious actors.
The comments followed the recent revelation of a federal case in which prosecutors accused Saudi national Abdulrahman Alfozan of placing a recording device inside an OpenAI executive meeting room. Alfozan, a former OpenAI employee, faces a federal charge for the alleged interception of oral communications, though he has not been charged with espionage. Federal prosecutors indicated that Alfozan had booked a one-way plane ticket to Saudi Arabia for himself, his wife, and another family member prior to his arrest.
Clayton described the OpenAI incident as evidence of the lengths individuals will go to supplant or closely follow U.S. leadership in emerging technology. He characterized both commercial and state-sponsored espionage as realities that private sector companies and the government must acknowledge.
An ex-CIA official, who spoke to CNBC on condition of anonymity because they were discussing non-public information, described the case as probably the tip of the iceberg.
Clayton, who was appointed AI czar earlier this month, noted that the White House AI task force he leads held its inaugural meeting on Thursday. He described the meeting as very good and stated it built on an accord signed by President Donald Trump and several AI leaders at the White House last month. Trump had previously described the agreement, which includes industry pledges to police AI risks itself, as morally binding.
The task force established three subcommittees to address different AI-related issues. One subcommittee is tasked with reporting and response, another focuses on assessing critical infrastructure and working with the private sector, and a third handles law enforcement and responsibility.
Clayton reiterated that the administration intends to maintain its lead in the AI race against known adversaries and competitors. He noted that China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea possess significant technical capabilities in the technology, stating that the United States needs to stay ahead of them.