President-elect Donald Trump (Trump) announced on Sunday, December 22, that Michael Kratsios and Lynne Parker will be taking up key technical roles in his first administration, bringing together two senior figures and other technical professionals engaged in artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency.
In his appointment statement, Trump wrote, “Together, we will achieve technological breakthroughs, ensure America’s technological dominance, and usher in a golden age of American innovation!”
Kratsios will serve as the Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, advising “AI and Crypto Tsar” David Sacks.
Previously, Kratsios served as Trump’s Chief Technology Officer, working alongside Gail Slater on the transition team’s technology policy with the latter set to lead antitrust efforts at the Department of Justice. Before that, Kratsios was the General Manager of Scale AI.
Parker will serve as the Executive Director of the Presidential Council of Advisors for Science and Technology, advising Kratsios. Sacks will be the chairman of the council. Parker previously held the position of Deputy Chief Technology Officer (CTO) under Trump and was the founding director of the National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Office.
Sriram Krishnan has been appointed as a Senior Policy Advisor on Artificial Intelligence in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. He is a general partner at Andreessen Horowitz and has previously worked at Microsoft, X, Meta, and Snap.
On October 28, the U.S. Department of the Treasury issued a rule limiting and monitoring investments in Chinese artificial intelligence, computer chips, and quantum computing.
Prior to this, President Biden issued an executive order in August 2023, preventing U.S. capital and expertise from aiding in the development of technologies that could support Chinese military modernization and harm U.S. national security. The order covered private equity investments, venture capital, joint ventures, and greenfield investments, with separate annexes targeting China, Hong Kong, and Macau. The executive order will take effect on January 2, 2025.
Additionally, President-elect Trump also announced the establishment of the Crypto Council, officially named the Presidential Council of Advisers for Digital Assets, with Sacks as the chairman. Bo Hines will serve as the executive director of the council. Hines received Trump’s support during his 2022 congressional campaign in North Carolina but ultimately lost to Democrat Wiley Nickel.
On December 5, Trump announced the appointment of former PayPal Chief Operating Officer David Sacks as the head of his White House policies on artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency. He stated on the social media platform Truth Social that Sacks would develop relevant legal frameworks to provide clear regulations for the cryptocurrency industry to thrive in the U.S.
In his statement, Trump expressed, “David will focus on making America a global leader in cryptocurrency and related fields. He will defend free speech on the internet and lead us away from the bias and censorship of big tech companies. He will establish a legal framework that gives the cryptocurrency industry the clarity it requires and enables it to thrive in the United States.”
(Reference: POLITICO)