Key Takeaways
- President Donald Trump insists that anyone who continues to use the term “artificial intelligence” instead of his preferred “superintelligence” is an “enemy.”
- He signed Executive Order No. 14434, titled “Inaugurating the Era of Super Intelligence,” on September 29, mandating that all federal agencies replace “AI” and “artificial intelligence” with “Super Intelligence” and the abbreviation “SI” in official correspondence, public communications, websites, reports, and other executive‑branch documents.
- The order explicitly states it does not require retroactive changes to already‑issued regulations, presidential documents, contracts, grants, or other historical records.
- Trump argues that the term “superintelligence” better captures the capabilities of today’s systems, which he claims “far exceed what was anticipated when the term ‘artificial intelligence’ first emerged.”
- Critics warn the mandate could cause confusion, increase administrative burden, and politicize technical terminology without clear legal authority.
Trump’s Declarative Statement on Terminology
During a recent post on his TruthSocial platform, President Donald Trump declared, “If you use the term ‘artificial intelligence’ instead of ‘superintelligence,’ you are the enemy.” This blunt proclamation frames the linguistic shift as a matter of loyalty rather than mere semantics. By labeling dissenters as adversaries, Trump seeks to compel adherence to his preferred nomenclature across the federal government. The statement underscores his broader effort to rebrand emerging technologies in a way that aligns with his vision of American technological supremacy.
Rationale Behind the “Superintelligence” Label
Trump contends that the word “superintelligence” more accurately reflects the capabilities of contemporary systems. He argued that today’s technologies “far exceed what was anticipated when the term ‘artificial intelligence’ first emerged,” noting their ability to enhance human performance and unlock novel workflows across sectors. In his view, the older term “artificial intelligence” undersells the transformative power of modern machine‑learning models, large‑language systems, and autonomous decision‑making tools. By promoting “superintelligence,” he aims to elevate public perception of these advancements as surpassing earlier expectations.
Executive Order No. 14434: Core Mandate
On September 29, Trump signed Executive Order No. 14434, officially titled “Inaugurating the Era of Super Intelligence.” The directive orders all executive‑branch agencies to “use the new terminology ‘to the fullest extent permitted by law’ in every facet of official communication. This includes internal memos, external press releases, agency websites, statutory reports, grant applications, and any other document produced under federal authority. The order’s language leaves little room for agency discretion, insisting on a uniform adoption of “Super Intelligence” and its abbreviation “SI.”
Scope of the Terminology Change
The mandate is sweeping in its reach. Agencies must replace every occurrence of “artificial intelligence” or “AI” with “Super Intelligence” or “SI” in:
- Official letters and emails between federal employees and external partners.
- Public‑facing content such as press releases, social‑media posts, and agency webpages.
- Formal reports to Congress, budget justifications, and performance metrics.
- Internal training materials, policy guidances, and procedural manuals.
By insisting on consistency across these channels, the administration hopes to embed the new lexicon into the everyday language of government operations.
Exemptions and Limitations
Importantly, the executive order carves out a notable exemption: it does not require changes to regulations, presidential documents, contracts, grants, or other historical documents that have already been issued. This clause acknowledges the practical impossibility of retroactively editing millions of existing records while still demanding forward‑looking compliance. Consequently, newly generated materials must follow the updated terminology, whereas legacy documents may retain the older “AI” phrasing unless voluntarily revised.
Reactions from Technology Experts and Scholars
The proclamation has drawn a mixed response from the AI research community. Some scholars warn that rebranding could “create unnecessary confusion in technical discourse, impede inter‑agency collaboration, and obscure the precise meanings of established concepts.” Others argue that the move is largely symbolic, noting that federal agencies already use a variety of terms—such as “machine learning,” “deep learning,” and “cognitive computing”—to describe specific capabilities. Critics also question the legal basis for compelling linguistic changes, pointing out that executive orders generally govern policy implementation rather than dictate specific word choices absent statutory authority.
Potential Administrative and Financial Impacts
Implementing the terminology shift may impose measurable costs on federal agencies. Updating websites, revising templates, retraining staff, and auditing existing publications for compliance could consume significant time and resources. Agencies with extensive digital footprints—such as the Department of Defense, the National Institutes of Health, and the General Services Administration—might face particularly large undertakings. Moreover, the risk of inconsistent application across bureaus could lead to inadvertent non‑compliance, prompting oversight reviews or corrective actions.
Broader Implications for Government Communication
Beyond the immediate workload, the order signals a broader trend of using executive authority to shape public perception of technological progress. By insisting on “superintelligence,” the administration seeks to frame AI advancements as unequivocally beneficial and ahead of schedule, potentially influencing public support for increased funding and less restrictive regulation. Conversely, if the terminology is perceived as politicized or misleading, it could erode trust in government communications about science and technology, especially among stakeholders who value precise, evidence‑based language.
Conclusion
President Trump’s insistence on replacing “artificial intelligence” with “superintelligence” represents a bold, though contentious, attempt to steer the lexicon of federal discourse. Executive Order No. 14434 enforces this change across all newly produced executive‑branch materials while exempting existing records, aiming to align official language with the administration’s view of today’s technological capabilities. While the directive underscores a desire to highlight perceived advances, it also raises practical concerns about cost, consistency, and the appropriate scope of executive influence over technical terminology. As agencies begin to comply, the long‑term effects on inter‑governmental communication, public understanding, and the credibility of federal statements about AI will become clearer.
https://ua.news/en/world/tramp-nazvav-vorogami-vsikh-khto-vikoristovuie-termin-shtuchnii-intelekt