Trump Orders 'Super Intelligence' Rebrand for Federal AI Terminology

A new terminology mandate has been issued by President Donald Trump, requiring federal agencies to abandon the phrase “artificial intelligence” in favor of “super intelligence.” The directive was formalized through an executive order signed on Sept. 29, instructing officials to purge the former term from all relevant documents and communications due to its alleged inaccuracy.

Executive Order Details

Trump announced the decision via a post on Truth Social, stating that the ban applies to “all relevant documents, and everything else.” He reinforced this preference during a White House meeting last month attended by Elon Musk and other technology executives. Additionally, the president urged The Wall Street Journal to adopt the revised language, asserting that “virtually everyone else” already uses the term or “soon will be,” according to Deadline.

Industry Standard Challenges

The rebranding effort encounters substantial practical obstacles, as “artificial intelligence” has served as the global industry standard for decades. Media organizations have continued using “AI” despite the executive order’s directives. Notably, the Trump administration itself employed the original terminology in its “AI Action Plan,” which was released last year.

Public Perception Factors

Polling data indicates significant public concern regarding the impact of artificial intelligence, alongside growing negative views toward data centers. Analysts suggest the shift to “super intelligence” may aim to mitigate these perceptions. This is not the first attempt at such a linguistic overhaul; the White House previously banned the Associated Press from the Oval Office after the news agency refused to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. That action led to a lawsuit where a federal judge ruled the White House likely violated the First Amendment, a decision currently under appeal. Legal authority to compel public adoption of new terms remains limited. The cultural entrenchment of the original phrase is further highlighted by Steven Spielberg’s 2001 film A.I. Artificial Intelligence.