President Donald Trump has issued a directive requiring federal agencies to replace the terms artificial intelligence and AI with super intelligence and SI. This mandate, established through an executive order titled Inaugurating the Era of Super Intelligence signed on September 29, applies to official communications, reports, and websites within the executive branch.
The administration has further escalated its campaign by labeling those who continue to use the term artificial intelligence as enemies. While the order does not impose legal penalties or requirements on private companies, journalists, or researchers, it has prompted internal shifts, such as the Justice Department instructing employees to adopt the new terminology in legal proceedings as of October 6.
The executive order directs the White House science adviser to propose a new federal definition for super intelligence within 60 days. Currently, the order defines the term using existing statutory definitions for artificial intelligence. The scientific community maintains a distinction between current AI systems and the hypothetical concept of superintelligence.
The initiative has seen some voluntary adoption in the private sector. On October 4, Elon Musk announced that SpaceX would rename its artificial intelligence division from SpaceXAI to SpaceXSI. Despite such moves, the term artificial intelligence remains deeply integrated into global scientific research, university curricula, and international technology standards.
