AI Policy2026-09-30
The Verge
Trump Orders US to Say 'Super Intelligence'
President Donald Trump has signed an executive order that directs the US government to stop calling the technology artificial intelligence in official policy materials and instead use the term Super Intelligence. The order reportedly applies to government websites, documents, and press releases, and it contends that the word super does more to convey the technology's power. On one level, the change is semantic: the underlying systems, research, and products remain the same. But language shapes public perception, and the shift is symbolically important. It suggests an administration that wants to project confidence, ambition, and dominance in advanced computing. The phrase Super Intelligence carries a different emotional weight than artificial intelligence. Artificial can sound synthetic or imitation, while super implies something beyond human capability. That framing may support a political narrative about national competitiveness, innovation, and the need to lead globally. It could also affect how agencies discuss regulation. If the technology is described as super intelligence, policymakers may feel pressure to treat it as a strategic asset rather than an ordinary emerging tool. The change may complicate communication with scientists, international allies, and companies that use established technical terms. Researchers often distinguish between narrow AI, general AI, and superintelligence, and blurring those categories could create confusion. Critics may see the order as branding rather than substance. Supporters may view it as a necessary rebranding that matches the scale of the moment. Either way, the directive shows how central AI messaging has become in politics. The terminology used by the US government could influence public debate, media coverage, and even how other countries frame their own policies. The practical effects will depend on whether the order changes funding, rules, or strategy, or remains mostly a matter of words.