Trump says he's rebranding AI as “Super Intelligence” in government documents
| Source: Gizmodo | Original article
President Trump says he will rename artificial intelligence to Super Intelligence on government documents, a change that conflicts with the definition of artificial superintelligence.
President Donald Trump used his United Nations General Assembly appearance to announce that “artificial intelligence” will be renamed “super intelligence” in all United States government documents. The declaration, made on Tuesday, was presented as a straightforward re‑branding and was framed as part of a broader effort to address growing public anxiety about AI technologies.
The move has sparked immediate confusion among scholars and technologists because “superintelligence” already carries a specific meaning in the field. Philosopher Nick Bostrom’s 2014 book *Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies* defines the term as any intellect that vastly outperforms human cognition across virtually all domains. By co‑opting the phrase for bureaucratic labeling, the administration risks blurring the line between a policy label and a technical concept that underpins much of the current debate on AI safety and governance.
Why it matters is twofold. First, terminology shapes how policymakers and the public conceptualise emerging technologies; a shift to “super intelligence” could amplify perceived threats and influence future regulatory approaches. Second, the announcement arrived without an accompanying executive order or concrete implementation plan, leaving agencies unclear on how to apply the new label in practice.
What to watch next includes whether the White House issues formal guidance or an executive directive, how federal departments adjust their documentation, and the reaction from the AI research community and international partners. Observers will also be tracking any legislative proposals that reference the new terminology, as well as the broader narrative around AI oversight that has been highlighted in recent reporting, including our Sep 23 piece on Trump’s potential role as an “AI czar.”
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