US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order requiring all federal agencies to use the term “superintelligence” (SI) instead of “artificial intelligence” (AI). The decision instantly changes the official terminology of US officials, although millions of Americans will continue to use the familiar name.
US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order requiring all federal agencies to use the term “superintelligence” (SI) instead of “artificial intelligence” (AI). The decision instantly changes the official terminology of US officials, although millions of Americans will continue to use the familiar name.
According to a document published on the White House website, the administration seeks to emphasize American leadership in the industry and proclaim “SI” as the future of innovation and business. The real purpose of the renaming was the White House’s desire to help IT leaders get rid of the reputational stain and convince the public that fears about the threat of technology are exaggerated.
The new rules require federal employees to use the term “superintelligence” in correspondence, public statements, reports and on government websites. The Office of Science and Technology Policy has been given 60 days to prepare proposals for a formal legislative definition of the term.
In the technology community, the term "superintelligence" (ASI) refers to hypothetical systems that surpass human cognitive abilities in all possible areas. Currently, no technology of this level has been created in the world.
Speaking to reporters, Trump denied his previous statements that the AI warnings were a "hoax," explaining the name change with this context.
"That’s why I changed the name. A hoax is what it was when you used the old name. But now it’s 'superintelligence.' It’s not a hoax," Trump said.
In parallel with the signing of the decree, the heads of leading technology companies signed a "morally binding" constitution on the security of developments at the White House. It provides for the involvement of independent auditors to verify the models, but leaves control to the corporations themselves.
A week earlier, during a speech to the UN General Assembly, Trump urged world leaders not to slow down the development of technology. He assured that the tech giants are able to independently establish the necessary precautions to minimize the risks of cyberattacks and job losses.
Earlier, Donald Trump announced his intention to create an "AI force" to monitor the industry. Despite calls from the heads of leading IT companies to introduce stricter regulation and temporarily slow down development due to security risks, the White House does not plan to limit technological progress.
