President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced the first slate of appointments to his President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, choosing a group of high-profile technology leaders to provide guidance on science and technology policy.
The council will be led by co-chairs David Sacks and Michael Kratsios. The initial roster of appointees includes senior executives, entrepreneurs and investors drawn from multiple corners of the technology industry.
Named to the council were:
- Marc Andreessen, venture capitalist and co-founder of Andreessen Horowitz
- Sergey Brin, co-founder of Alphabet
- Mark Zuckerberg, chief executive of Meta Platforms
- Larry Ellison, executive at Oracle
- Safra Catz, executive at Oracle
- Michael Dell, chief executive of Dell Technologies
- Jensen Huang, chief executive of Nvidia
- Lisa Su, chief executive of Advanced Micro Devices
- Jacob DeWitte
- Fred Ehrsam
- David Friedberg
- John Martinis
- Bob Mumgaard
Executives from the semiconductor industry are explicitly represented by Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang and Advanced Micro Devices chief executive Lisa Su. The council also includes leaders and founders from venture capital, large enterprise technology firms and prominent consumer technology platforms.
The President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology was established by Executive Order. Its formal mandate is to advise the president and offer recommendations aimed at strengthening American leadership in science and technology.
Under the Trump administration, the council's agenda will place particular emphasis on issues related to how emerging technologies affect the American workforce - examining both opportunities and challenges presented by new technological developments.
The council's membership may expand - it may include up to 24 members in total. Officials said additional appointments will be made in the near future and that information about the council's first meeting will be released along with subsequent member announcements.
Presidential science advisory bodies have a long precedent; presidents have created such panels going back to the Science Advisory Board established under Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933.
Summary - The president has named the initial members of a new science and technology advisory council, appointing senior tech executives and entrepreneurs to advise on policy with a workforce-focused agenda.
Key points
- The first appointees include leaders from major technology firms, venture capital and the semiconductor industry, highlighting broad industry representation.
- The council was created by Executive Order to recommend steps to bolster U.S. leadership in science and technology.
- The council will focus on the implications of emerging technologies for the American workforce.
Risks and uncertainties
- The council's roster is not yet complete - it may grow to as many as 24 members and additional appointments are forthcoming.
- Details about the council's first meeting and its early work program have not been released, leaving timing and immediate priorities unclear.
- The specific policy recommendations the council will offer are not specified in the initial announcement, so the concrete impact on sectors and markets remains to be seen.