Trump orders US agencies to use 'Super Intelligence' instead of 'AI' after meeting tech leaders

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday ordered the federal government to replace the terms “artificial intelligence” and “AI” with “Super Intelligence” and “SI” in official communications, saying the new terminology better reflects the rapidly advancing capabilities of the technology.

In an executive order issued on September 29, Trump said the US was at the forefront of a “new technological revolution in intelligence” and that American companies and research institutions were pushing the technological frontier.

“The capabilities of today’s frontier systems do much more than imitate or automate discrete aspects of human intelligence,” Trump said in the order.

He said the term “Super Intelligence” more appropriately captures the “promise, potential, and rapidly advancing capabilities” of these technologies.

The order directs executive departments and agencies, to the maximum extent permitted by law, to use “Super Intelligence” and “SI” instead of “Artificial Intelligence” and “AI” in official correspondence, public communications, websites, reports, policy documents and other non-statutory documents.

The directive does not require changes to previously issued regulations, presidential actions, contracts, grants or historical documents.

The order initially defines “Super Intelligence” and “SI” as encompassing the technologies and systems covered by the existing statutory definition of artificial intelligence under US law.

It also directs the Assistant to the President for Science and Technology, within 60 days, to submit proposed legislative language establishing a federal definition of “Super Intelligence” and “SI”.

The proposal is also expected to include changes to existing references to “artificial intelligence” and “AI” in federal law.

Trump also announced a voluntary accord with leading technology companies focused on companies' responsibilities for developing frontier AI systems and putting in place internal controls and independent reviews.

Under the accord, companies have committed to four layers of controls and audits covering their AI systems.

According to the accord, companies training and deploying frontier models have a responsibility to develop their technology safely and build trust with customers and the public.

The participating companies will also meet regularly to establish standards and best practices for improving the safety of their AI systems.

The accord said that, over time, the measures could be incorporated into laws or regulations, but stressed that companies viewed implementing the controls and audits as critical to ensuring a safe future regardless of whether they are legally required.