Full Breakdown
Trump Pushes “Super Intelligence” Rebrand for AI
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Executive Order and Terminology Shift
On September 29 President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing all federal agencies to replace “artificial intelligence” with “super intelligence” in official communications and created the Super Intelligence Force to coordinate policy. In a Truth Social post, Trump warned that anyone who continues to use the old term would be deemed “THE ENEMY.”
Background & Context
Trump has a history of renaming concepts to shape perception, from “fake news” to “Lake America.” At the United Nations General Assembly on September 22, he argued that “artificial” makes intelligence sound fake and called the technology “amazing.” The rebrand follows public backlash against AI data centers, which polls show are unpopular.
Industry Response
Silicon Valley’s reaction has been mixed.
- Elon Musk announced on X that he intends to rename his AI venture SpaceXAI to SpaceXSI, though the change has not yet been implemented.
- Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, called data centers “superintelligence factories” at the White House summit.
- Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, told the *Decoded* podcast that OpenAI will not change its corporate name but noted “superintelligence” is already used informally.
Other leaders, including Mark Zuckerberg and Satya Nadella, have used the term “super intelligence” in roadmap statements, yet most companies continue to use “artificial intelligence” publicly.
Official Statements & Responses
- Baobao Zhang, a Syracuse University associate professor who studies AI politics, emphasized that precise definitions are essential for regulation.
- The voluntary safety pact signed at the White House luncheon includes commitments from OpenAI, Anthropic, Meta, Google, SpaceXAI and Nvidia to establish internal safety teams and external assessors, though implementation details remain undisclosed.
Criticism & Opposition
- David Robinson, former OpenAI safety-team leader, called the self-regulatory approach “no substitute for hard law.”
- Myers West, former senior AI adviser to the FTC, argued industry self-policing “has consistently failed to work.”
Data & Statistics
- An Independent poll of 1,032 voters found 73 % oppose building an AI data center in their community; 55 % of Republicans and 79 % of all respondents said safety matters more than leading AI development. Only 25 % approved of Trump’s handling of the technology.
- A Fox News poll of 1,211 voters reported 37 % favorable versus 60 % unfavorable opinions of AI, a net rating of -23 points.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on industry adoption of the new terminology. Some outlets cite enthusiastic use by Nvidia and SpaceXAI, while others note most corporate communications still rely on “artificial intelligence.” The executive order does not specify enforcement mechanisms, leaving a gap in how the terminology will be monitored across agencies and private firms.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The only control or ‘guardrails’ that AI needs is a STRONG AND SMART (High IQ!) PRESIDENT, and the U.S.A. has that, in spades!” — Donald Trump
- “It’s really important that we get our definition right with any attempts at regulating this very fast-moving technology,” — Baobao Zhang
- “This is no substitute for hard law, and it does give a lot of freedom to the companies,” — David Robinson
What’s Next
The White House plans to update all executive-branch documents to use “super intelligence” in the coming weeks. Congressional committees are expected to review the rebrand’s legal implications, and consumer-rights groups have signaled plans to file additional oversight requests. The effectiveness of the terminology shift in shaping public opinion remains uncertain.