US President Donald Trump said his administration will officially ban the term “artificial intelligence” in relevant government documents and other communications, arguing the phrase doesn't accurately describe the technology. Instead, Trump wants the technology to be called “super intelligence,” a term he believes better reflects its capabilities.
Trump made the remarks in a Truth Social post on October 27, asking why The Wall Street Journal had not adopted his preferred term. He said he would introduce the change “in short order,” but he did not provide a timeline or explain how the proposed ban would be implemented.
The announcement adds to the administration’s efforts to replace the established term with language that presents the technology in a more favorable light.
In his post, Trump argued that “artificial intelligence” was a bad and inaccurate name. He urged the newspaper to start using “SI,” short for super intelligence, saying others already used the term or would soon.
However, artificial intelligence remains the widely accepted term across the technology industry, research institutions, and governments. It describes computer systems designed to perform tasks associated with human intelligence, including language processing, image recognition, prediction, and decision-making.
The term “superintelligence” generally refers to a more advanced concept: intelligence that could exceed human capabilities across many areas. The two expressions are therefore not necessarily interchangeable in scientific or technical discussions.
Trump did not provide evidence in his post to support his claim that the preferred term was already widely adopted.
The latest statement follows Trump’s remarks at the United Nations General Assembly in September, when he said US government documents would use “super intelligence” instead of artificial intelligence. At the time, he also hoped other countries would adopt the term.
His position fits into a broader approach that favors rapid technology development over restrictive regulation. Trump has argued that excessive controls could slow US innovation and weaken the country's ability to compete with China.
The administration has also faced growing debate over AI safety, potential job impacts, and the expansion of energy-intensive data centers. Trump has dismissed many warnings about the technology's risks, while some industry leaders and policymakers have called for stronger safeguards.
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Trump's announcement does not, by itself, establish that a formal government-wide ban has taken effect. The administration has not yet provided details on the proposed restrictions, their scope, or how it would be enforced.
If implemented, the change could affect terminology in official documents and communications, but it would not automatically change how researchers, businesses or the public describe the technology.
For now, the proposal is primarily a language change rather than a new technical policy. Whether it becomes a formal directive and how broadly it applies will depend on further details from the administration.