Typos and Backlash: Why Donald Trump's Attempt to Rebrand AI as 'Super Intelligence' Faces Resistance

California is refusing to comply with US President Donald Trump's directive to refer to artificial intelligence as 'super intelligence'. In an ongoing social media trolling campaign, California's Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom mocked Mr Trump over the decision this week.

'I just signed an executive order permanently declaring Artificial Intelligence 'Artificial Intelligence' in California,' Mr Newsom posted on X, accompanied by a photo of the newly signed document. 'You're welcome, America.'

Mr Trump's push to rebrand AI amid growing public anxiety began in mid-September when he informed reporters that he preferred the term 'super intelligence' or 'SI', arguing that the word 'artificial' failed to adequately describe the technology. He reiterated this terminology during his address to the UN General Assembly and a subsequent White House meeting addressing tech safety concerns. Mr Trump stated his intention to mandate the use of 'SI' across federal agencies, echoing a past demand that official US documents refer to Lake Ontario as 'Lake America'.

However, the rebranding effort has largely sparked confusion and mockery rather than widespread adoption. The official executive order signed by Mr Trump to enact the name change contained a typo in the phrase 'United States'. Additionally, during a Washington appearance, Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang repeatedly corrected himself after accidentally saying 'AI' instead of 'SI', remarking to the crowd that he would eventually get used to it.

While established technical terminology already includes phrases like 'AI superintelligence' to describe hypothetical advanced cognitive functions, the political rebranding has found limited backing. Neil Chilson, former chief technologist for the Federal Trade Commission during the first Trump administration and current head of AI policy at the Abundance Institute, pointed out that computer scientist John McCarthy—who coined the term 'artificial intelligence' in 1956—had also expressed regret over the original phrasing.

Regardless of the administration's intentions, public opinion polls reveal deep skepticism, apprehension, and hostility toward AI development. A Quinnipiac poll released on Tuesday indicated that nearly eight out of ten voters prioritize safety over rapid development, while 73 per cent oppose the construction of AI data centres in their local communities. Furthermore, data from Pew Research and Quinnipiac show widespread concerns regarding potential job losses and the negative societal impacts of emerging technologies.