Trump’s War on Two Words Takes a New Turn
President Donald Trump has declared that anyone who calls artificial intelligence by its familiar name is “THE ENEMY!” In a Thursday post on Truth Social, he demanded that people instead adopt the term “Super Intelligence.” His declaration targets a widely recognized term for technologies such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Anthropic’s Claude. The latest outburst adds another chapter to Trump’s broader effort to reshape established terminology and geographic names.
Trump’s demand extends beyond a simple preference for different words and carries an unmistakable political warning. The White House now favors “Super Intelligence” as the supposedly more accurate description of these technologies. His position follows an executive order that directs federal agencies to adopt the new terminology. Yet his attempt to influence public language raises questions about whether presidential authority can change the words Americans use.
Why Trump Wants a New Name for Artificial Intelligence
Trump’s latest terminology demand follows an executive order issued just over a week earlier. The directive instructs executive branch agencies to refer to artificial intelligence as “super intelligence.” It came after a White House lunch with prominent technology leaders, including Elon Musk, Sundar Pichai, and Dario Amodei. The meeting placed Trump’s preferred terminology directly within his administration’s approach to the rapidly expanding technology.
At the United Nations General Assembly, Trump also rejected international efforts to regulate artificial intelligence. He declared that the technology would henceforth officially be called “super intelligence.” His explanation focused on the word “artificial,” which he argued makes intelligence sound fake. “It makes it sound fake, and it is not fake. It’s actually amazing,” Trump said. His remarks presented the terminology change as a way to reflect what he considers the technology’s genuine capabilities.
Before that declaration, Trump had already asked his Truth Social followers to choose among alternative names. The poll offered three options: “Super Intelligence,” “Superior Intelligence,” and “Extreme Intelligence.” The exercise revealed his interest in replacing the established term with language he considers more appropriate. However, the executive order selected “super intelligence” as the preferred term for federal agencies. The directive does not establish that the technology itself has acquired capabilities beyond conventional artificial intelligence.
Trump’s campaign for a new name also reflects the political difficulties surrounding his administration’s relationship with the AI industry. Public concern about data centers, safety, and the technology’s broader consequences has created pressure on political leaders. His terminology demand attempts to change the language used in discussions about an industry closely associated with his administration. Yet a presidential preference does not automatically determine how businesses, researchers, journalists, or ordinary Americans describe artificial intelligence.
Polls Reveal Public Doubts About Trump’s AI Agenda
Despite Trump’s efforts to reshape public terminology, surveys suggest widespread concern about artificial intelligence and its growing influence. A Quinnipiac University poll of 1,032 registered voters found that 73 percent opposed an AI data center in their community. That opposition included 55 percent of Republicans, while 79 percent said safety mattered more than American leadership in AI development. The findings suggest that unease about the industry extends beyond traditional political divisions and challenges the administration’s priorities.
The same Quinnipiac survey found that only 25 percent approved of Trump’s handling of AI, compared with 58 percent who disapproved. Additionally, 71 percent said they would favor candidates who support stricter safeguards, including 52 percent of Republicans and nearly three-quarters of independents. A separate Fox News poll of 1,211 registered voters found that 60 percent viewed AI unfavorably, against 37 percent who viewed it favorably. The unfavorable rating worsened from minus 11 in April to minus 9 in July, then minus 23 in September. The survey also found that voters trusted Democrats over Republicans on data centers by 14 points, with Democrats leading the generic ballot by at least 19 points among opponents of such facilities.
These political headwinds complicate Trump’s attempt to promote “super intelligence” as the accepted alternative to artificial intelligence. Although the president can direct federal agencies to use his preferred terminology, he cannot compel private citizens or Canada to follow suit. The Independent contacted NVIDIA, Palantir, Meta, OpenAI, Google, Tesla, and Anthropic about possible changes to promotional materials or customer communications, but none responded. The White House, however, highlighted technology executives who had used the phrase, including Elon Musk and NVIDIA’s Jensen Huang. The term already describes AI that surpasses human intellect across multiple domains, including reasoning, social skills, and scientific research, which raises further questions about its suitability as a general replacement.
Can Trump Make Americans Abandon the Name AI?
Trump’s latest language directive follows earlier efforts to rename major geographic features through executive orders. He previously sought to rename Lake Ontario as “Lake America” amid tensions with Canada over trade. He also attempted to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America” earlier in his second term. These moves illustrate his willingness to challenge familiar names through presidential authority. However, his power to dictate federal terminology does not extend to private citizens or other countries.
The same limitation applies to his preferred replacement for artificial intelligence, regardless of White House support. Americans, technology companies, researchers, and international institutions remain free to use the established term. More importantly, superintelligence already describes AI that exceeds human capabilities across several domains, including reasoning and scientific research. That existing meaning could create confusion if officials apply the term broadly to today’s AI systems. Trump may change the language used across federal agencies, but persuading the public to follow remains a separate challenge.