Trump Wants to Rebrand Artificial Intelligence as “Superintelligence”

President Trump’s hands-off approach is consistent with his broader strategy for combating AI risks. Determined to win the so-called AI race, Trump has shown little interest in putting meaningful guardrails on the industry. Meanwhile, polls indicate that most voters want stricter AI regulations ahead of the midterm elections.

Critics warn that Trump’s effort to replace the term “artificial intelligence,” or AI, with “superintelligence,” or SI, could further confuse the public about the technology’s risks. They also argue that the rebranding may make Trump feel as though the United States has already achieved major AI milestones, even though that is far from reality.

Trump’s Understanding of AI Risks Faces Scrutiny

Trump’s understanding of AI risks continues to face scrutiny as US companies such as OpenAI appear to be losing control of their frontier models.

Despite those concerns, Trump wants to be trusted without question as the sole authority on AI. At the recent United Nations General Assembly, he said he changed the technology’s name because the word “artificial” makes it sound “fake,” the South China Morning Post reported.

Trump argued that frontier AI now goes beyond “mere imitation or automation of aspects of human intelligence.” He suggested that “superintelligence” might be a better reflection of American AI companies’ “capacity and potential to grow,” according to the report.

Trump Officials and AI Executives Adopt “SI” Terminology

Trump officials have already adopted SI as their preferred terminology. In a Department of Justice press release, Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg declared, “SI is an era-defining technology.”

Although AI leaders recognize that the term is technically inaccurate, executives such as Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and Elon Musk have also committed to using “superintelligence.”

Critics Say the Rebranding Overstates US AI Leadership

Kyle Chan, a fellow at the Brookings Institution, told the South China Morning Post that Trump is attempting to project American superiority while downplaying AI risks. By promoting an exaggerated view of AI today, Chan said, the president may be hoping to connect his legacy with the moment when AI surpasses human capabilities.

Chan and California Governor Gavin Newsom also warned that the rebranding could heighten “some people’s perceptions of risk and fear,” particularly as leading AI companies argue that the technology could eventually pose an existential threat.

Newsom rejected Trump’s rebranding in especially strong terms, calling it “an incompetent and disgusting failure to address new, well-documented national security and safety risks.”

“Respectfully,” the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs also rejects the terminology, according to the South China Morning Post. Both the US and Chinese governments have substantial influence over AI regulation and will likely continue using “AI” rather than “SI.”