Trump says White House views anyone using term 'artificial intelligence' as an enemy

US President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social that the White House considers anyone who uses the term "artificial intelligence" instead of "superintelligence" an enemy, Russian outlets reported on 8 October. "The White House will consider anyone who resorts to the term 'artificial intelligence' as opposed to the new and more accurate term 'superintelligence' its enemy!" he wrote, according to Interfax and Vedomosti. Kommersant reported that the post was signed "President Donald J. Trump". RBC described the post as a threat. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]

In late September Trump signed an order renaming AI "superintelligence" (Super Intelligence, SI), Interfax, Vedomosti and Kommersant reported. Kommersant gave the date of the order as 29 September. According to Interfax, all federal agencies in the executive branch must now use the new term. Kommersant reported that the new terminology is required in official correspondence, public communications, websites, reports and other documents that are not legislative acts. iXBT wrote that the terminology is mandatory for US government departments and agencies, but does not by itself change the generally accepted technical definition of artificial intelligence. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 7 ]

Interfax reported that Trump first proposed renaming AI in a speech at the UN General Assembly earlier in September, saying that the word "artificial" creates a false impression of the technology as something "not real". Kommersant quoted him as saying: "When you say 'artificial intelligence', it means not real. It's not, it's superintelligence." Vedomosti wrote that the decision was meant to draw attention to "constant technological innovation and the boundless opportunities that will open up for the American people". [ 2 , 4 , 5 ]

Kommersant, citing Politico, reported that technology sector representatives believe the new term will not catch on and will remain only in technology companies' correspondence with the White House. "The government can change its vocabulary in one day, and the private sector will follow in their interactions, but wider adoption takes time," one of them told Politico, according to Kommersant. iXBT reported that after the order an X user asked Musk whether SpaceXAI could change its name to SpaceXSI. Musk replied, "Yes, we will make changes," and later wrote on X that SpaceX is a "superintelligence company", iXBT reported. [ 5 , 7 ]

Vedomosti noted that Trump often uses neural networks in his posts. In September he published a map showing Mexico, Canada, Greenland and Iceland in the colours of the US flag, which Vedomosti said was presumably AI-generated. He posted it without comment, and the post drew a negative reaction from foreign counterparts, according to Vedomosti. [ 4 ]