The US executive branch is transitioning away from the term "artificial intelligence" in official communications, replacing it with "Super Intelligence" under a new executive order signed by President Donald Trump.
What Happened
According to The Verge, the executive order directs that official policy websites, policy documents, and press releases will refer only to "Super Intelligence" going forward. President Trump stated at an event announcing the launch of America.gov that "the word super is the best word of all, and it’s the simplest," adding that he does not want to hear "artificial" because the technology is "very powerful" and "very brilliant." The President also noted that Chinese President Xi Jinping, who visited the White House last week, "loves it" too.
The rebranding effort was first mentioned by Trump in a speech to the United Nations General Assembly last week. The administration aims to use this terminology to address public concerns that AI is advancing too quickly and posing safety risks. While existing regulations and past documents do not need to be changed, US officials will be expected to avoid using the terms "artificial intelligence" or "AI" in relevant settings. The order was signed following a luncheon at the White House with tech CEOs and government officials, where Trump was flanked by Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk.
Why It Matters
This directive represents a significant shift in how the US government frames its relationship with emerging technology. By replacing the statutory definition of AI with "Super Intelligence," the administration is attempting to reframe the narrative around the technology's capabilities and risks. Trump characterized the word "artificial" as akin to "fake news," suggesting the rebrand is intended to emphasize the technology's potency and positive potential rather than its synthetic origins.
The change also intersects with ongoing regulatory and infrastructure challenges. During the luncheon, Trump emphasized the need for "tremendous self-regulation" by the industry, noting that existing bodies like the Department of Justice and the FBI provide automatic regulation. Regarding the physical buildout of AI infrastructure, specifically data centers which have faced local hurdles, Trump stated that tech firms will "work to make the community happy" by providing resources and economic support, predicting that data centers will become "very popular."
The Bottom Line
The Trump administration has formalized a semantic shift in US government communications, mandating the use of "Super Intelligence" over "artificial intelligence" to align with its policy framing and address safety concerns, while relying on existing federal agencies and industry self-regulation for oversight.