US President Donald Trump on Tuesday doubled down on his push to rename artificial intelligence as “Super Intelligence”, arguing that the rapidly advancing technology would ultimately prove “far bigger” than both the internet and the Industrial Revolution.
Trump made the remarks while unveiling an AI-powered website designed to serve as a one-stop portal for accessing US government information and services. His comments continued a campaign he began earlier this month to replace the term “artificial intelligence” in official usage.
‘Far bigger’ technology
Trump said he did not consider “artificial intelligence” an adequate description of the technology and again promoted “Super Intelligence” as a more appropriate term. He predicted that its impact would surpass previous technological transformations, including the emergence of the internet.
The President had earlier announced at the UN General Assembly on September 22 that US government documents would use the term “Super Intelligence” instead of artificial intelligence. He also argued that the technology could become more consequential than the Industrial Revolution.
Push for new name
Trump’s campaign to rename AI began with online polls in which he floated alternatives including “Supreme Intelligence”, “Superior Intelligence” and “Extreme Intelligence”. He subsequently settled on “Super Intelligence”.
The terminology differs from its conventional use in AI research, where “superintelligence” generally refers to a hypothetical system whose capabilities substantially exceed those of humans across a wide range of cognitive tasks. Artificial intelligence, by contrast, is the broader term covering existing and future machine-based systems capable of performing tasks associated with human intelligence.
Xi discussions
Trump has also raised his preferred terminology during discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Following their recent meeting, Trump said Xi appeared receptive to using “Super Intelligence” to describe the technology.
The United States and China subsequently announced a dialogue to exchange views on the risks and benefits associated with AI, alongside a bilateral communication channel for AI-related incidents. Xi has stressed that the technology should remain under human control and be developed for beneficial purposes.
AI risks debate
Trump’s enthusiasm for rapid AI development comes amid an intensifying debate in the United States over how aggressively the technology should be regulated. Some technology executives and researchers have called for stronger safeguards as increasingly capable AI systems emerge.
Trump has opposed measures that he believes could slow US development of the technology and allow China to narrow Washington’s lead. He has also dismissed some warnings about catastrophic AI risks, arguing that maintaining America’s technological advantage should remain a priority.
The debate places the administration’s emphasis on accelerating development alongside growing calls from parts of the technology industry for stronger oversight and safety mechanisms.