SEC Creates AI Task Force Led by Valerie Szczepanik

SEC AI at the SEC

Published August 1st, 2025

Detected March 25th, 2026

Summary

The SEC has established an agency-wide Artificial Intelligence (AI) Task Force, led by Chief AI Officer Valerie Szczepanik. The task force aims to enhance innovation and efficiency across the agency through the responsible integration of AI technologies.

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What changed

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has announced the formation of an AI Task Force, spearheaded by Valerie Szczepanik, who has been appointed as the agency's Chief AI Officer. This initiative is designed to centralize and accelerate the SEC's efforts in integrating artificial intelligence to improve operational innovation and efficiency. The task force will foster collaboration across divisions and offices to navigate the AI lifecycle, remove implementation barriers, and ensure responsible AI governance.

This announcement signifies an internal operational enhancement rather than a new regulatory requirement for external entities. Compliance officers should note this development as an indicator of the SEC's increasing focus on AI, which may lead to future regulatory considerations or guidance related to AI use within the financial industry. No immediate external actions or compliance deadlines are imposed by this press release.

Source document (simplified)

Press Release

SEC Creates Task Force to Tap Artificial Intelligence for Enhanced Innovation and Efficiency Across the Agency

Valerie Szczepanik will lead the agencywide effort For Immediate Release

2025-103 Washington D.C., Aug. 1, 2025 —

The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced the launch of a task force on artificial intelligence (AI) that will spearhead the agency’s efforts to enhance innovation and efficiency in its operations through the responsible use of AI. Valerie Szczepanik, who has been named the SEC’s Chief AI Officer, is leading the task force.

Recognizing the transformative potential of AI, the SEC’s AI Task Force will accelerate AI integration to bolster the SEC’s mission. It will centralize the agency’s efforts and enable internal cross-agency and cross-disciplinary collaboration to navigate the AI lifecycle, remove barriers to progress, focus on AI applications that maximize benefits, and maintain governance. The task force will support innovation from the SEC’s divisions and offices and facilitate responsible AI integration across the agency.

“The AI Task Force will empower staff across the SEC with AI-enabled tools and systems to responsibly augment the staff’s capacity, accelerate innovation, and enhance efficiency and accuracy,” said SEC Chairman Paul S. Atkins. “By ingraining innovation into our culture SEC-wide, we will further our mission to protect investors, maintain fair, orderly, and efficient markets, and facilitate capital formation.”

Ms. Szczepanik said, “I thank Chairman Atkins for selecting me to lead this important initiative for the agency. The AI Task Force will aim to centralize and align efforts to advance AI-enabled transformation across the entire Commission. I look forward to accelerating work already underway in the SEC’s divisions and offices to build enterprise capacity for AI innovation and implement AI solutions that are trustworthy, effective, and mission enhancing.”

Ms. Szczepanik previously was Director of the SEC’s Strategic Hub for Innovation and Financial Technology. She was the Senior Advisor for Digital Assets and Innovation and an Associate Director in the SEC’s Division of Corporation Finance. Before that, she served as Assistant Director in the Division of Enforcement. Ms. Szczepanik served as a Special Assistant United States Attorney at the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. Ms. Szczepanik received her JD from Georgetown University and her BS in Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania.

Last Reviewed or Updated: Aug. 1, 2025