Trump Pushes “Super Intelligence” Rebrand for AI

President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that anyone who continues to use the term “Artificial Intelligence” will be labeled “THE ENEMY” of the White House. The order also launched a “Super Intelligence Force” (SIF) to coordinate the government’s AI strategy.

WBMA - Birmingham NewsTrump says anyone who doesn't call AI 'super intelligence' is 'enemy' The White House considers anyone who uses the term "artificial intelligence" an enemy - Trump New Scientist

The push to rename AI follows earlier industry attempts to distance the technology from its “artificial” label. Meta’s “SuperIntelligence Labs” and philosopher Nick Bostrom’s 2014 “superintelligence” concept predate the White House move. Trump’s administration says the new term better describes today’s advanced systems; critics say it conflates current narrow AI with a still-theoretical level of capability.

New Scientist

• 19 Sept – Trump posted a Truth Social poll on a new name for AI.

New York Magazine

• 22 Sept – In a UN General Assembly speech, he called “Artificial Intelligence” “fake” and promoted “Super Intelligence.”

New Scientist

• 29 Sept – Executive order signed; SIF announced.

New York Magazine

• Late Sept – SIF leadership named, including Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton.

The Hill

• Early Oct – Trump’s “enemy” post went live, reinforcing the terminology mandate.

The White House considers anyone who uses the term "artificial intelligence" an enemy - Trump

• Registry SI reported 44,000 new “.si” domain registrations in September, a 2,199 % jump from August.

Forbes

• Trump’s poll drew roughly 66,000 responses from his 13.1 million followers; “super intelligence” won the final vote.

Forbes

Trump said the word “artificial” makes intelligence sound “fake.” National Intelligence Director Jay Clayton told CNBC the U.S. should not “back away” from AI development, framing it as a national-security issue. Scott Kupor, director of the Office of Personnel Management, warned that “Nobody’s going to get a free pass here.” Jeff Bezos noted that “artificial” carries negative connotations, and Elon Musk announced SpaceXAI will be renamed SpaceXSI.

Forbes

Digital-ethics lecturer Simon Coghlan (University of Melbourne) called the rebrand “misleading,” noting that “super intelligence” traditionally describes systems capable of self-improvement—something current AI does not achieve. Former Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene mocked the policy on X with a middle-finger emoji.

New York Magazine

The mandate has already spurred industry alignment: SpaceX’s rebrand, Meta’s “SuperIntelligence Labs,” and the surge in “.si” domains. The SIF’s 120-day mandate to produce an AI risk-benefit plan signals a coordinated federal approach that could shape regulation, funding, and competition with China.

New Scientist

Business Insider notes the executive order does not apply to the private sector, while other outlets report companies such as Meta and SpaceX are voluntarily adopting the terminology. No enforcement mechanism has been disclosed, leaving uncertainty about how the “enemy” label would translate into concrete action.

Business Insider

• “The use of the word artificial makes intelligence fake, it makes it sound fake, and it is not fake. It’s actually amazing,” — Donald Trump

New Scientist

• “I do like SI because artificial is not a very flattering thing…Nobody wants an artificial sweetener or artificial flavoring. Artificial sort of means fake,” — Jeff Bezos

Forbes

• “Nobody’s going to get a free pass here,” — Scott Kupor

The Hill

• “Yes, we will make that change.” — Elon Musk

Forbes