US President Donald Trump wants to replace the term “artificial intelligence” (AI) with “super intelligence” (SI), arguing that the word “artificial” makes the technology sound fake or less capable than it actually is.
Trump signed an executive order on September 29 directing federal agencies to use “super intelligence” instead of “artificial intelligence” in official communications, reports, websites, and policy documents wherever legally possible.
The president has also taken a stronger position against people who continue using the original term. In an October 8 post on Truth Social, Trump declared that the White House considers anyone who uses “artificial intelligence” rather than “super intelligence” to be “THE ENEMY!”
Trump first proposed the name change during his United Nations speech in September. He believes the new terminology better represents the technology’s growing capabilities and potential.
US Government Has Already Started Making Changes
Several federal agencies have started adopting the new terminology.
The US Center for AI Standards and Innovation (CAISI), previously known as the AI Safety Institute, has been renamed the Center for Advancing Innovation and Standards for Super Intelligence (CAISSI).
The Justice Department has also begun using the term in official announcements. One recent press release described a case involving fraudulently generated songs as “Super Intelligence-Assisted Music Streaming Fraud.”
Trump’s decision is part of a broader effort to accelerate AI development in the United States. His administration has supported expanding data centers, reducing regulatory obstacles, and encouraging American technology companies to develop more powerful systems.
However, the push comes as concerns grow over AI safety, the environmental impact of data centers, and the potential consequences of increasingly powerful technology.
Tech Leaders Support Trump’s New Name
Several prominent technology executives have expressed support for the change.
Elon Musk has said he plans to rename SpaceXAI to SpaceXSI, replacing the AI abbreviation with SI.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has also welcomed the idea, suggesting that the word “artificial” does not present the technology positively.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has adopted the new terminology, while OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has praised the proposal. However, Altman has indicated that OpenAI will not change its company name.
The support from major technology executives could help popularize the new term, although there is no requirement for private companies to adopt it.
Why the Name Change Could Create Confusion
The biggest challenge is that “superintelligence” already has a specific meaning in the technology industry.
The term generally describes a future form of AI that could outperform humans across a wide range of intellectual tasks. It was popularized by philosopher Nick Bostrom in his 2014 book Superintelligence.
Trump’s executive order instead applies “super intelligence” to existing AI technology, including systems that are far less advanced.
This could make it harder to distinguish current AI tools from hypothetical systems with capabilities beyond human intelligence.
The decision also creates a branding problem for companies developing more advanced AI systems. If every existing AI product is described as superintelligent, the term could lose its usefulness in describing future breakthroughs.
Congress Could Complicate Trump’s Plans
The executive order applies to federal executive agencies but cannot force Congress to stop using the term “artificial intelligence.”
Several existing US laws, including Trump’s Take It Down Act, already contain references to AI. Those legal definitions cannot simply be replaced through an executive order.
The administration has instructed officials to develop proposals for updating federal terminology, but broader changes would require congressional action.
The situation is further complicated by lawmakers who already use “superintelligence” in its established technical meaning.
Senator Bernie Sanders, for example, supported the Ban Artificial Superintelligence Act in September, which sought to restrict the development of extremely powerful AI systems.
Trump’s terminology could therefore create confusion between existing AI technologies and advanced systems that lawmakers want to regulate more strictly.
Despite support from several major technology companies, it remains unclear whether the new name will gain widespread acceptance.
Changing the terminology also does little to address public concerns about AI safety, data centers, and regulation. For Trump’s rebranding effort to succeed, the administration may need to do more than simply give the technology a new name.
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