Artificial Intelligence

Trump’s Attempt to Rename Artificial Intelligence as Super Intelligence

President Donald Trump has launched a campaign to rebrand artificial intelligence as 'super intelligence,' demanding the tech industry adopt the new term while labeling resisters as enemies.

Radwan AbdulhadiEditor and technology writer

Published: October 11, 2026 · Updated: October 11, 2026 · 3 min read

Trump’s Attempt to Rename Artificial Intelligence as Super Intelligence — Image: The Verge

The Push for a Linguistic Overhaul

President Donald Trump has demanded that the technology commonly known as artificial intelligence be renamed 'super intelligence,' arguing that the word artificial makes intelligence look fake. Following statements at the United Nations, the administration followed through with an executive order designed to discourage and minimize the use of the term AI. For more details on the directive, see the official executive order coverage.

As part of this push, the administration has begun declaring resisters and critics as enemies for continuing to use traditional terminology. The White House explicitly stated that anyone refusing to adopt the new nomenclature is considered part of the opposition.

Industry Response and Rebranding Efforts

Prominent tech leaders and companies have quickly moved to align with the administration's new terminology. Elon Musk promised to rename SpaceXAI to SpaceXSI, while Jeff Bezos and Jensen Huang have also voiced support for the framing. Sam Altman offered praise for the term as well, though he clarified that OpenAI would not alter its company name.

Government bodies and agency titles are also shifting rapidly under the new directive. The US Center for AI Standards and Innovation transitioned into the Center for Advancing Innovation and Standards for Super Intelligence, and Department of Justice press releases have adopted modified terminology to reflect the mandate.

Broader Context and Industry Stance

The administration's aggressive rebranding campaign coincides with a broader push to accelerate development in the sector while discouraging self-regulation and safety oversight. Trump has actively insisted that infrastructure expansions, such as new data centers, will remain popular despite public polling data indicating local pushback and rising community concerns.

This accelerationist stance arrives amid ongoing debates over frontier technology pacing and regulatory oversight. Observers note that the administration's overarching strategy aims to place the industry on pro-robot overdrive, bypassing traditional safety discussions in favor of rapid expansion.

Terminology Clash and Legislative Hurdles

The term 'superintelligence' is not new to the technology lexicon, having been popularized by Nick Bostrom's 2014 book to describe advanced machine intelligence that surpasses human thought. Forcing the term onto standard software tools and everyday applications risks confusing its technical definition.

Furthermore, the executive push faces practical limitations across other branches of government. Congress cannot be barred from using standard terms, and existing legislative frameworks—such as the Take It Down Act—continue to reference traditional terminology, which administration agencies must still rely on during legal proceedings.