Trump Pushes to Rebrand Artificial Intelligence as 'Super Intelligence' to Shape Public Opinion

Unable to convince Americans to embrace the AI data centers they dislike, President Donald Trump is exercising the power of a rebrand to alter public opinion. Trump first told fellow world leaders at the United Nations that the use of the word 'artificial' makes intelligence sound fake. Following an executive order signed in late September, the U.S. government has begun updating official documents and websites, with cabinet secretaries and aides quickly adopting the new terminology.

The push has extended beyond government agencies. Elon Musk stated on X that he would change the name of his company from SpaceXAI to SpaceXSI, though that change has not yet occurred. Trump also declared on social media that anyone continuing to use the term artificial intelligence instead of super intelligence will be viewed by his White House as 'THE ENEMY!'

While renaming federal terminology falls within executive power, tech leaders have mixed views on the effectiveness of the rebrand. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has long discussed AI in terms of superintelligence, highlighting the promise of superintelligent agents working for individuals. Meanwhile, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman questioned whether the new term would make the technology sound less scary to the public.

Academically, superintelligence is a distinct concept that typically refers to an intellect much smarter than the best human brains in every field. Philosopher Nick Bostrum, author of the 2014 book 'Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies,' noted that applying the term broadly to current tools like spam filters is a bit of a stretch. However, Bostrum acknowledged the rhetorical advantage of the new phrasing, noting that it is harder to argue against super intelligence than artificial intelligence.

Trump remains opposed to federal regulations on the technology, arguing that the only guardrail AI needs is a strong president. By pushing for this linguistic shift, Trump continues his pattern of attempting to control the national narrative through repetition and rebranding.