US President-elect Donald Trump has named South African-American entrepreneur and tech veteran David Sacks as his crypto and artificial intelligence (AI) czar, a role critical to shaping America’s policies on these transformative technologies.
Announcing the appointment on Truth Social, Trump described Sacks as a leader with “the knowledge, business experience, intelligence, and pragmatism to MAKE AMERICA GREAT in these two critical technologies.” The role will task Sacks with developing a legal framework for the US crypto industry, which Trump described as providing “the clarity it has been asking for,” while safeguarding free speech online and addressing concerns about “Big Tech bias and censorship.”
Sacks will also chair the Presidential Council of Advisors for Science and Technology, which works to provide strategic recommendations to the White House on science and technology issues.
From PayPal to Policy
David Sacks is no stranger to innovation and leadership. After earning his law degree from the University of Chicago in 1998, Sacks joined McKinsey & Company as a management consultant before moving into the tech startup world. In 1999, he joined Confinity, later known as PayPal, alongside Peter Thiel, a close ally of Vice President-elect JD Vance.
As PayPal’s head of product, Sacks played a pivotal role in building the company’s core teams. When eBay acquired PayPal for $1.5 billion, Sacks was already considered part of the now-famous “PayPal Mafia”—a group of early PayPal executives and founders who went on to establish some of Silicon Valley’s most successful companies.
Hollywood and Tech Success
Following PayPal’s acquisition, Sacks briefly ventured into Hollywood, financing and producing the political satire Thank You For Smoking. The film, which critiques corporate influence, earned two Golden Globe nominations in 2007.
Returning to tech, Sacks founded Yammer in 2008, a social networking platform designed for workplace collaboration. Yammer was acquired by Microsoft in 2012 for $1.2 billion, solidifying Sacks’ reputation as a visionary entrepreneur.
In 2017, Sacks co-founded Craft Ventures, a San Francisco-based venture capital firm, where he has invested in over 20 unicorn companies, including Airbnb, Reddit, Lyft, and SpaceX. He also co-hosts the popular All-In Podcast, which discusses topics ranging from technology and politics to social issues.
A Visionary Leader
Born in Cape Town to a Jewish family, Sacks moved to the US at the age of five. His career trajectory—from PayPal to Hollywood and venture capital—has equipped him with a unique blend of experience to navigate the complex intersection of AI and cryptocurrency policy.
As Trump’s administration gears up to tackle challenges in these critical sectors, Sacks’ role will be central to shaping America’s technological and economic future.
