WASHINGTON—President Trump plans to install some of the biggest names in business—including Meta Platforms Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg, Oracle Executive Chairman Larry Ellison and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang—to a technology council to weigh in on AI policy and other issues.
The President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, or PCAST, will be co-chaired by David Sacks, who has served as White House AI and crypto czar, and Michael Kratsios, another technology adviser, according to a White House official.
Trump plans to name an initial batch of 13 members from the industry, including Google co-founder Sergey Brin, on Wednesday, according to the official. The council could ultimately include 24 people, according to an executive order.
“The United States has the opportunity to lead the world in AI,” said Zuckerberg in a statement to The Wall Street Journal. “I’m honored to join the President’s council and work with other industry leaders to help make this happen.”
During his second term in office, Trump has emphasized developing a regulatory environment that is aimed at making the U.S. a leader in artificial intelligence and cryptocurrencies. Several of the council members lead companies that have helped fund the president’s pet projects. For example, Meta Platforms donated to Trump’s ballroom as did Huang in a personal capacity.
“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.
Other presidents, including George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Joe Biden, have named similar bodies. The council tends to serve as a brain trust to the White House on key issues around scientific developments, and the members typically reflect the priorities of the sitting president.
In his first term, Trump also named a similar council—which, like this one, included business leaders—though the membership didn’t have such household names. Trump waited until the third year of his first term to establish the council.
The willingness of major corporate leaders to embrace advisory roles in the Trump administration is a major shift from his first term, which was beset by boycotts and high-profile resignations.
Write to Annie Linskey at annie.linskey@wsj.com and Alex Leary at alex.leary@wsj.com