U.S. Justice Department launches Super Intelligence task force

The U.S. Department of Justice announced on November 4, 2026, that it had formed a Super Intelligence (SI) Task Force, led by senior department officials. The department says the task force will use law-enforcement tools against unlawful uses of the technology and promote regular risk reporting and company controls.

The Justice Department said the task force, abbreviated DOJ-SITF, will be led by Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward and Associate Deputy Attorney General Stephen Weiss. Its stated aim is to prevent misuse of SI by foreign state and state-sponsored actors, transnational criminal organizations, and individuals or companies engaged in fraud or other unlawful conduct.

Attorney General Todd Blanche said the department would work with SI Force Chair Jay Clayton and continue identifying and prosecuting people whose use of SI violates the law. The department named malicious targeting of American taxpayers, critical U.S. infrastructure and national security among the concerns.

In its announcement, the department also said it would use law-enforcement tools to deter improper use, strengthen regular reporting on SI risks and responses, and ensure companies exercise vigorous internal controls so the technology behaves as intended.

The announcement sets out a federal enforcement and oversight approach to SI: the department links possible unlawful use with law-enforcement action, while also emphasizing risk reporting and internal company controls. For readers following AI governance, these are distinct elements of the stated task force remit: enforcement addresses alleged violations of law, while reporting and controls concern how risks and responses are handled within organizations.

The department describes its goal as protecting American innovation and the public from misuse. The announcement does not itself describe a specific case or enforcement action; it outlines the task force’s purpose and leadership.

The Justice Department frames the task force as an effort to maintain U.S. leadership in SI while protecting against malicious use. The announcement quotes President Trump saying that “America stands at the forefront of a new technological revolution in intelligence,” and says the department will seek to safeguard against malicious SI actors.

Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward described the effort as promoting innovation while preventing misuse. The stated scope includes foreign state and state-sponsored actors as well as criminal organizations and individual or corporate actors involved in fraud or other unlawful conduct.

The Justice Department’s announcement points readers to a memorandum associated with the task force. That document is the next place to look for further detail on its remit. The announcement gives no future date for a decision or additional step; readers should look to the department for any subsequent task force updates.