President Donald Trump said Thursday that people who continue to use “artificial intelligence” (AI) instead of his preferred term, “super intelligence” (SI), will be considered “enemies” of the White House. The remarks broaden the rhetoric around an earlier terminology directive for federal agencies, but that order does not require private companies to change their names or marketing language. It remains unclear whether the White House plans further action.
Executive order directs federal agencies to use “SI”
In a post on Truth Social, Trump called “super intelligence” a “highly accepted and more accurate” term and said the White House considers users of “artificial intelligence” to be enemies. He has previously argued that “artificial intelligence” suggests the technology is “fake.”
At the end of September, after meeting technology industry figures at the White House, Trump signed an executive order directing federal departments and agencies to use “super intelligence” and “SI” instead of “artificial intelligence” and “AI” in official correspondence, public communications and on websites, to the fullest extent permitted by law.
The order applies to government bodies and does not require private firms such as OpenAI to rename themselves. The White House also has no legal authority to compel private companies to adopt the terminology. Trump’s latest comments therefore go beyond the scope of the directive. Extending the government’s language requirements to companies or individuals could raise free-speech questions; there is no indication so far that the White House has penalized private firms for continuing to use “AI.”
Musk says SpaceXAI will become SpaceXSI
At least one business leader has said he will follow the White House’s preferred wording. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk wrote on X that the company’s AI division would change its name from SpaceXAI to SpaceXSI. As of Thursday afternoon, however, the division’s X account still displayed the name “SpaceXAI.”
It would be the division’s second name change this year. SpaceX announced in February that it had acquired xAI, the developer of the Grok chatbot, and renamed the unit SpaceXAI in July. Whether Musk’s latest statement will be carried out, and whether other major AI and technology companies will follow, remains to be seen.
Nvidia and OpenAI executives continue to say “AI”
The White House also hosted a high-profile AI lunch on the day Trump called for the terminology change. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang used the term “AI” during a panel discussion, then corrected himself to “SI.” Trump was nearby at the time.
OpenAI President Greg Brockman, speaking while Trump was present, said the company was committed to building “artificial intelligence” that helps everyone. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has also recently addressed whether the company might change its name. In an interview on a Politico podcast, he said there were no current plans to do so, though the company had discussed superintelligence and would continue to do so.
For technology companies, the immediate question is not only whether to adopt the new terminology, but where the boundary lies between a federal naming directive and companies’ own choices. The existing order requires federal agencies to change their official wording. So far, major companies have responded differently, and SpaceXAI’s account has yet to display the name Musk announced.