Trump wants to rename AI. Silicon Valley is starting to echo him.
executive order
An official instruction from the president to government offices.
Super Intelligence
The new phrase the US government wants to use for AI.
SI
A short form of Super Intelligence.
What happened
Donald Trump, the US president, wants artificial intelligence to be called Super Intelligence. An executive order dated September 29 tells executive-branch agencies to use Super Intelligence, or SI, instead of AI. The order covers official letters, websites, reports, policy papers, and other government communications. It does not require older regulations, contracts, grants, or historical documents to be rewritten. The White House order
The Verge, a US technology news publication, reported on October 11 that several powerful Silicon Valley figures were echoing the change. Elon Musk, the entrepreneur behind SpaceXAI, said it would become SpaceXSI. Marc Benioff, Salesforce’s chief executive, said AIForce would become SIForce. Jensen Huang, Nvidia’s chief executive, included Super Intelligence research in a $1 billion scientific commitment. Satya Nadella, Microsoft’s chief executive, repeatedly used the phrase in a post calling for an emergency brake on AI. The Verge report
The background
Trump’s explanation is simple. He says the word artificial can make the technology sound fake. The White House presents Super Intelligence as a better name for rapidly advancing systems and their promise.
The order also leaves important work unfinished. For now, it applies the new words to technology already covered by the legal definition of artificial intelligence. It asks the assistant to the president for science and technology to propose a federal definition within 60 days. That proposal may suggest changes to existing laws.
Why the name matters
Names can change how people understand a technology. Super Intelligence sounds stronger than artificial intelligence. It may make the technology feel more capable before anyone proves a new capability. The wording can also move attention toward promise and away from public worries.
Axios reported that leaders in Washington and Silicon Valley are concerned about backlash against AI and data centers. Some company representatives said they would use SI when meeting the president or working with the federal government. They did not expect the phrase to spread everywhere. Axios report
For companies, repeating the new term can also send a political signal. The Verge presents the pattern as Silicon Valley trying to stay close to Trump’s administration. That is an interpretation of several actions. It is not proof that every company shares one policy.
What is confirmed
The confirmed change is governmental language. The White House has issued the order. Several executives have used the new phrase or announced possible name changes. Other executives still used AI in their remarks.
Public adoption is different. Axios reported a YouGov poll in which 53% preferred artificial intelligence. Only 9% preferred Super Intelligence. Those figures show that a government preference has not yet become a public habit.
What remains unclear
It is not clear whether SpaceXSI or SIForce have fully replaced the earlier names. Their product pages, legal records, and internal documents may not all change together. It is also unclear whether companies will use SI outside government meetings.
The future definition is another open question. The order starts with the existing AI definition. The 60-day proposal could preserve it, expand it, or replace parts of it. The public may continue using AI regardless.
What to watch next
The next checkpoint is the federal definition proposal. Watch government websites and reports for consistent use of SI. Watch company names, product descriptions, and safety statements too. Finally, watch ordinary public speech.
This story is not evidence that computers became smarter overnight. It is a story about who gets to shape the words around a powerful technology. The name may change quickly. Public trust will take longer.
Why is AI getting a new name?
📰 Full story: Trump wants to rename AI. Silicon Valley is starting to echo him.
The US government wants to call AI “Super Intelligence.” Some tech leaders are following.
executive order
An official instruction from the president.
Super Intelligence
The new name some officials use for AI.
💡 The gist
- Trump wants government offices to say “Super Intelligence,” not “AI.”
- Several powerful tech leaders have started using the new phrase.
- A new name does not prove that the technology became smarter.
Donald Trump, the US president, announced the change. An executive order tells government offices to use Super Intelligence, or SI. They should use it in official papers, websites, and reports. The order does not rewrite older government documents.
Why change a familiar name? Trump says the word artificial sounds fake. The White House says Super Intelligence better describes powerful, fast-changing systems.
The Verge reported several examples. Elon Musk, who leads SpaceXAI, said it would become SpaceXSI. Marc Benioff, a Salesforce leader, said AIForce would become SIForce. Jensen Huang, the Nvidia CEO, used Super Intelligence research in a $1 billion promise. Satya Nadella, the Microsoft CEO, used the phrase in a safety message.
These examples do not mean every company agrees. Some technology leaders still said AI. Some companies expect to use SI only with the president or federal officials. The word may not spread to everyday conversations.
Names matter because they shape expectations. Super Intelligence sounds stronger than artificial intelligence. It can make a promise sound like a proven fact. But changing words does not change a computer’s abilities.
The order asks a science adviser to propose a federal definition within 60 days. That definition could change how government uses the term. People may still keep saying AI.
Next, watch government websites and company names. Watch how companies describe safety. Most importantly, watch what ordinary people say. The big question is not whether leaders can use SI. It is whether the public will use it too. The Verge and the White House order document the change.
Why does AI have a new name?
📰 Full story: Trump wants to rename AI. Silicon Valley is starting to echo him.
A president wants some people to use a different name for AI.
AI
A computer system that can answer questions.
executive order
An important instruction from the president.
SI
A short name for Super Intelligence.
AI is a computer helper that can answer questions. Donald Trump, the US president, chose a new name. He wants government offices to say Super Intelligence. People can shorten it to SI. A written order told the offices to use it. The order is called an executive order. It is an important instruction from the president. Elon Musk, who leads SpaceXAI, said its name would change. SpaceXAI would become SpaceXSI. Marc Benioff, a Salesforce leader, also used the new words. Nvidia’s Jensen Huang used them too. Microsoft’s Satya Nadella used them in a safety message. But many people still say AI. A new word does not make a computer smarter. We will watch whether people keep the new name.