David Sacks has concluded his role as a cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence advisor in the White House after reaching the 130-day limit set for special government employees. This short stint has left several pivotal pieces of digital asset legislation, particularly the controversial CRYPTO Act, in need of further attention. Sacks will, however, continue to influence technology policy as a co-chair of the newly formed President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), where he will focus on a broader array of technology issues.
In a recent interview with Bloomberg, Sacks confirmed that his tenure as a special government employee was complete. He stated, “In the first year of the Trump administration, I had a role as an SGE. I had 130 days; we’ve now used up that time.” A notable figure in the entrepreneurial world, Sacks is among the influential ‘PayPal Mafia’ and has been closely associated with advancing the crypto market structure bill, known as the CLARITY Act, which remains unpassed due to ongoing debates.
Coinbase co-founder Fred Ehrsam, along with influential leaders such as Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg and Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, have joined Sacks in PCAST. This council aims to offer policy recommendations that cover science, technology, and innovation. Topics of interest are expected to include artificial intelligence, advanced semiconductors, quantum computing, and nuclear power.
In an important development, Sacks has committed PCAST to promoting the recently introduced National AI Legislative Framework by the Trump administration. Critics from the non-partisan think tank Brookings have expressed concern, suggesting that the framework could lead to a “troubling shift away from safe, accountable AI” toward unregulated commercial deployment. Sacks argues for a unified regulatory approach, stating, “You’ve got 50 different states regulating this in 50 different ways, creating a patchwork of regulation.”
He believes that there is a strong possibility that Congress will respond to this framework and enact significant legislation that would streamline AI regulation at the federal level. Previously, he was involved in formulating an executive order that aimed to prevent individual states from implementing their regulations on AI, a move that drew praise from Silicon Valley entrepreneurs worried about regulatory inconsistencies.
Sacks’ tenure has made a considerable impact, albeit short-lived, as he transitions to his new role within PCAST where he hopes to champion technological advancement and coherent policy making across the United States.
