What’s in a name? Why Trump wants to rebrand AI as ‘super intelligence’
Por Chong Ming Lee — South China Morning Post – News feed
Advertisement Artificial intelligence Tech Policy What’s in a name? Why Trump wants to rebrand AI as ‘super intelligence’
The US president’s insistence on using the term ‘super intelligence’ reflects a wider debate over the technology’s future, analysts say
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Chong Ming Lee Published: 10:00pm, 2 Oct 2026
US President Donald Trump wants to retire one of the technology sector’s most recognisable acronyms, arguing that the term “artificial intelligence”, or AI, is no longer fit for purpose.
On Tuesday, Trump signed an executive order directing US federal agencies to replace “artificial intelligence” and “AI” with “super intelligence” and “SI” in official communications and non-statutory documents. He also instructed the White House science adviser to draft a new federal definition.
The move formalises a rebrand Trump launched at the United Nations General Assembly last week, where he claimed calling the technology “artificial” made it sound “fake”.
The change has sparked debate and put US tech leaders in an awkward position. SpaceXAI CEO Elon Musk caught himself using the old term during a recent appearance with Trump, before correcting himself: “SI, pardon me.”
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