Which Tech CEOs are Advising Trump on AI Policy?

US President Donald Trump has named Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Oracle Executive Chairman Larry Ellison and NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang to a government-led technology council tasked with advising on AI and related matters.

The President's Council of Advisers on Science and Technology (PCAST) is expected to play a significant role in influencing the government's approach to the growing global AI competition.

Former White House technology advisers David Sacks and Michael Kratsios will act as the council's co-chairs.

Speaking to The Wall Street Journal, Mark said: "The United States has the opportunity to lead the world in AI. I'm honoured to join the President's council and work with other industry leaders to help make this happen."

President Trump intends to announce an initial group of 13 members from the sector, including Google co-founder Sergey Brin and AMD CEO Lisa Su. A White House-issued executive order from January 2025 suggests the council could accommodate up to 24 members in total.

Competition with China intensifies

During his second term, President Trump has emphasised AI development as a central element within his economic growth strategy.

He considers the advancement essential to remaining competitive with China's AI sector, calling the release of DeepSeek, China's state-owned AI language model, "a wake-up call for our industries".

The US government's approach to establishing a regulated environment for AI and cryptocurrencies has become a defining strategy for positioning the country as a global leader in technological innovation.

"Under President Trump, PCAST will focus on topics related to the opportunities and challenges that emerging technologies present to the American workforce, and ensuring all Americans thrive in the Golden Age of Innovation," the White House said in a statement.

Michael Dell, co-founder of Dell and a PCAST member, echoed the White House's statement: "I look forward to working with fellow council members to ensure America maintains its competitive edge in AI and emerging technologies."

PCAST members include those representing companies which have previously supported Trump through government contracts and contributed funding to several of his personal ventures, including private donations from Meta and Jensen Huang personally towards the White House ballroom project.

Investment driven by AI

The announcement of PCAST could signal a growing alignment between the US government and major technology companies.

AI has become a key driver of corporate investment, with companies like Microsoft, Alphabet, Google and Meta collectively committing US$650bn to accelerate the growth of the US technology sector for 2026.

Increases in AI spending and the expansion of digital assets form part of what the White House describes as a plan for "American AI dominance". The plan has seen President Trump secure billions from tech leaders to develop AI infrastructure and commit to policies focused on domestic energy to power data centres.

The readiness of corporate leaders to take on advisory roles within the President Trump administration represents a shift from his first term, which saw President Trump advocate for boycotts of companies such as Apple over its refusal to modify user privacy policies to assist US law enforcement.

Choosing collaboration

As the government continues to explore ways to regulate AI without hindering innovation, the decision to establish PCAST arrives at a crucial moment for the US tech industry.

The European Union recently introduced the AI Act, legislation designed to enforce risk-management, while China has adopted a state-directed approach to AI development – two frameworks that US companies have viewed as restrictive.

Technology leaders in the US have advocated for lighter regulations around AI, contending that strict rules could hinder the experimentation that previously resulted in breakthroughs such as ChatGPT-4 and Google Gemini.

Despite these concerns, they have also recognised the need to establish guardrails for safety, particularly surrounding issues such as deepfakes, election interference and autonomous weapon systems.

Previous administrations adopted a more combative stance towards the regulation of the US tech industry, with the Biden government pursuing antitrust enforcement against Meta, Google and Amazon, prohibiting unlawful mergers and business practices.

The announcement of PCAST could reflect a change in the relationship between the industry and the government, suggesting President Trump is prioritising collaboration over confrontation with US tech companies.