Trump and Tech Leaders Promote 'Superintelligence' Terminology

<p>President Donald Trump and technology executives, including Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, are advocating for the term "superintelligence" as an alternative to "artificial intelligence" (AI). This initiative aims to address public concerns about AI and data centers, which some leaders believe could hinder the development of the technology.</p><p><strong>Why it matters: </strong>There is growing apprehension among leaders in Washington, D.C., and Silicon Valley regarding the negative perceptions of AI. The rebranding effort seeks to reshape the narrative surrounding the technology.</p><hr /><p><strong>Driving the news: </strong>During a recent summit at the White House, Trump officially designated "superintelligence" as the preferred term for the executive branch. He had previously asked for alternative terms on his social media platform, Truth Social.</p><ul><li>"Now we're calling it, again, super. We can say the word super, because the other word is a fake word," Trump stated after the summit. Executives from companies such as Google, Anthropic, Meta, OpenAI, xAI, and Nvidia signed the "White House Accord on Super Intelligence." </li><li>Huang has referred to data centers as "superintelligence factories," highlighting the opposition to these energy-intensive facilities, which could affect the growth of AI firms and some congressional candidates.</li></ul><p><strong>Between the lines: </strong>Despite the rebranding, concerns about AI persist. Communities are forming bipartisan coalitions against data centers, and there is anxiety among younger workers regarding their job prospects. Experts continue to warn about potential risks associated with AI, as noted by Axios Communicators author Simon Hernandez-Arthur.</p><ul><li>The term "superintelligence" aims to emphasize the technology's potential while attempting to mitigate negative associations.</li></ul><p><strong>What they're saying:</strong> Some tech leaders at the summit continued to use "AI" in their comments, but xAI CEO Elon Musk shifted to "SI" during his remarks. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has consistently used the "superintelligence" branding.</p><ul><li>Huang, who leads Nvidia, has been vocal in promoting the term, using it multiple times during discussions at the White House. He acknowledged a slip when he used "AI" and corrected himself, stating, "I am going to get good at this." </li><li>Representatives from AI companies did not provide official comments regarding the name change. Some expressed general support for the rebranding and indicated they would use "SI" in discussions with the federal government, while others doubted its broader acceptance.</li><li>One source likened the rebranding to Trump's previous renaming of the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America, which some oil executives adopted in their communications.</li></ul><p><strong>By the numbers:</strong> A recent YouGov poll revealed that 53% of respondents preferred the term "artificial intelligence," while only 9% favored "superintelligence." </p><p><strong>What to watch:</strong> Trump remarked that the term "artificial" intelligence implies a lack of authenticity, stating, "The name is now superintelligence. That's not a hoax; in fact, it's the exact opposite." </p><ul><li>Polls indicate that many Americans share concerns about AI, contributing to their apprehension regarding the technology.</li></ul>