President Donald Trump has announced the first members of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, or PCAST, bringing several of the biggest names in AI and tech into a formal advisory role. The council will help guide the administration on science and technology issues at a time when AI policy, chip exports, and data center expansion are all drawing more attention in Washington.
According to the White House, Trump created the council by executive order and tasked it with advising the president on how to strengthen US leadership in science and technology.
The first group includes Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, AMD CEO Lisa Su, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, Dell Technologies CEO Michael Dell, OpenAI backer Marc Andreessen, Google co-founder Sergey Brin, and several other business and research leaders. David Sacks and Michael Kratsios will co-chair the council, which shows how closely the administration wants to tie AI policy to both business and national strategy.
What PCAST will do
The White House said PCAST will focus on the opportunities and challenges that emerging technologies create for American workers and for the broader economy. That matters because AI has moved from a fast-growing tech trend into a major policy issue, especially as the US weighs infrastructure demand, energy use, and global competition.
“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.” – White House statement
That “Golden Age of Innovation” language makes clear how the administration wants to frame AI. It sees the technology as a growth engine, but it also faces pressure over how to handle regulation, data center buildout, and export controls.
The initial lineup gives PCAST a strong AI and semiconductor presence, but it also leaves out some figures many people closely associate with the industry, including Sam Altman and Elon Musk. The White House said PCAST can include up to 24 members, so more appointments are still on the way, along with details about the council’s first meeting.
