Full Breakdown
Trump Pushes to Rename Artificial Intelligence “Super Intelligence”
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Action: Federal Rebranding of AI
President Donald Trump announced that U.S. government documents will replace the term “artificial intelligence” with “super intelligence” (SI). The directive was delivered in a speech to the United Nations General Assembly on September 22 and followed by an internal State Department email ordering diplomats to use the new label. Trump said the word “artificial” makes intelligence sound “fake” and that “super intelligence” is “much more accurate.” “The United States also totally rejects any attempt to construct a globality scheme to control for the artificial intelligence being spoken of so much now, hereinafter called super intelligence. Changing the name,” — Donald Trump.
Background & Context
The rebranding follows Trump’s pattern of renaming policy concepts, such as “Gulf of America.” Earlier in the week, a Truth Social poll of 50,000 followers showed 65 % favoring “super intelligence” over “superior intelligence.” The administration also announced an “AI Force” and considered appointing an AI czar, though Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was publicly rejected.
Official Statements & Responses
- Trump: Emphasized U.S. rejection of any global governance scheme for AI and likened the technology’s impact to “bigger than the Industrial Revolution.”
- State Department: Deputy Assistant Secretary Michael Draper instructed staff to replace “Artificial Intelligence” with “Super Intelligence” in all communications.
- White House Science Adviser Michael Kratsios: Told the UN Security Council the U.S. supports “permissionless innovation” and warned against a global regulator. “A prosperous future will not be secured by a global regulator,” — Michael Kratsios.
- Law-Enforcement Stance: Trump said the Department of Justice will monitor AI developments closely. “We're going to watch it closely through the Department of Justice,” — Donald Trump.
Criticism & Opposition
Academic and industry experts warned the rebrand could sow confusion and undermine safety discussions.
- Susan Fournier, professor and dean, argued that “super intelligence” implies a threat beyond human control and may worsen public perception.
- Pierre Dubé, University of Chicago marketing professor, cautioned that the term’s technical meaning could backfire and noted “there’s a price for everything.”
- Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX) introduced legislation to ban uncontrolled superintelligence, citing scientific consensus that AI poses an existential threat.
Data & Statistics
- Public Preference Poll: 65 % of 50,000 respondents favored “super intelligence.”
- Legislative Action: A bipartisan bill was introduced to halt development of AI systems that cannot be controlled by humans.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources confirm the rebranding directive, but no timeline has been released for agency-wide implementation. While Trump claims the term will be adopted internationally, no other nation has announced a similar shift, leaving the global impact uncertain.
What’s Next
The administration plans to use the “super intelligence” label in all future U.S. documents and diplomatic communications. No deadline has been set for full implementation, and congressional proposals to regulate or ban uncontrolled AI remain under consideration.