Trump Says AI Should Be Renamed “Super Intelligence” During UN Speech

Donald Trump used part of his address to the United Nations General Assembly to propose a new name for artificial intelligence, saying that the technology should officially be referred to as “super intelligence,” or “SI.”

During his speech, Trump rejected international efforts to impose broader controls on artificial intelligence. He argued that the word “artificial” makes the technology sound less genuine than it actually is.

Trump told world leaders that the United States would refer to AI as “super intelligence” in its official documents and expressed hope that other countries would eventually adopt the terminology as well.

According to Trump, the change is meant to better describe what he believes the technology represents.

He argued that calling it “artificial” makes intelligence sound fake, while insisting that the capabilities of modern AI are real and increasingly impressive.

Trump also emphasized that the United States should continue developing the technology rather than allowing international regulations to slow its progress.

Trump pushes back against warnings about AI

Trump acknowledged that emerging technologies can create new challenges, but he dismissed some of the more alarming predictions surrounding artificial intelligence.

During the speech, he compared today’s warnings about AI to previous predictions about catastrophic consequences from climate change. He argued that concerns that AI could eventually become dangerous should not become a reason to stop technological development.

Instead, Trump said the United States would continue encouraging the development of what he called “super intelligence.”

He also indicated that the Justice Department could monitor the technology and intervene if necessary, while maintaining that the United States should remain a global leader in the field.

The proposed name is already causing debate

The proposed terminology has attracted attention because “superintelligence” is already an established concept within AI research.

In that field, superintelligence generally refers to a hypothetical form of intelligence that would exceed human intellectual capabilities. The term therefore has a meaning that is different from simply using “super intelligence” as a replacement name for today’s artificial intelligence.

Trump’s proposal has consequently sparked discussion over whether the new terminology would actually become official government language or remain primarily a statement made during his UN address.

As of the latest reports, it was not immediately clear whether a formal directive had been issued to implement the change across federal agencies.

Trump’s latest attempt at rebranding

The proposal also fits into a broader pattern of renaming efforts during Trump’s second term.

His administration has previously pushed changes to the names used by the federal government for certain geographic locations and institutions.

Some of those changes have generated political and legal disputes, while others have applied primarily to how the federal government refers to a location or organization.

The AI proposal would potentially involve a much broader change if it were formally adopted, since references to artificial intelligence appear throughout federal regulations, websites, contracts, technical documents and government systems.

For now, the key question is whether Trump’s statement at the United Nations will be followed by a formal government directive—and whether “super intelligence” will actually replace “artificial intelligence” in U.S. federal terminology.