Trump Allies Test 'Super Intelligence' as New Term for AI, but Experts Are Skeptical

A rebranding effort around artificial intelligence appears to be taking shape among some people close to US President Donald Trump, who have started using the term “super intelligence” in place of the more familiar “AI,” according to a BBC report.

The shift in language has drawn attention as a possible attempt to reframe how the technology is discussed in political and public circles, though experts quoted in the report say the rebrand is unlikely to catch on broadly.

A term in search of traction

“Super intelligence” has long been used within the artificial intelligence research community to describe a hypothetical future system that would surpass human cognitive abilities across virtually all domains, a concept distinct from the current generation of AI tools already in widespread use for tasks like text generation, data analysis and automation.

Applying that term more broadly to today's AI technology, as some in Trump's orbit have reportedly begun doing, would represent a significant shift in how the technology is popularly described. Analysts cited in the report argue that the terminology mismatch could create confusion, given that “super intelligence” carries specific and more expansive connotations within the field than the AI systems currently in use.

The report does not specify exactly who within the president's circle has adopted the phrase or how widely it has spread, but frames it as an emerging trend worth watching rather than an established rebrand.

Whether the terminology shift gains any broader currency in political or public discourse remains to be seen. For now, “artificial intelligence” and “AI” continue to dominate both industry and everyday usage, with experts suggesting that a change in vocabulary alone is unlikely to alter public understanding of the technology's current capabilities.