Trump announces new name for artificial intelligence as 'Super Intelligence'

Artificial intelligence could soon be known by a new name in official US government communications after President Donald Trump announced plans to refer to the technology as “Super Intelligence”.

The announcement was made during Trump's address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 22, 2026, where he said the United States would move away from the term artificial intelligence.

Trump said the word “artificial” could make the technology sound fake, arguing that the term did not properly reflect its capabilities.

He said he wanted US government documents to use the new wording and expressed hope that other countries would follow the same approach.

The announcement comes as artificial intelligence continues to develop rapidly, with technology companies investing heavily in systems capable of answering questions, generating content, assisting with research and carrying out increasingly complex tasks.

Trump described the technology as potentially more significant than the Industrial Revolution and the internet, while arguing that its development should be encouraged rather than restricted.

However, the proposed name has also raised questions about the meaning of superintelligence within the technology industry.

In AI research, the term superintelligence generally refers to a hypothetical system that would significantly exceed human cognitive abilities across a wide range of fields. This is different from using the phrase as a new name for artificial intelligence in general.

The distinction is important because changing the terminology does not mean that existing AI systems have suddenly achieved intelligence beyond human capabilities.

The announcement also comes amid continuing international discussions about the risks and opportunities associated with AI, including its potential effects on employment, businesses, privacy and public safety.

While Trump has called for the technology's development to continue, concerns about how increasingly capable AI systems should be managed remain part of the wider debate.

It is not yet clear how quickly the proposed terminology will be adopted across US government documents or whether other countries will formally follow the change.

For now, artificial intelligence remains the widely used technical term, while “Super Intelligence” is the name Trump has proposed for use in US government communications.

The announcement marks another development in the rapidly changing world of artificial intelligence, as governments and technology companies continue to debate how the technology should be described, developed and regulated.