‘Super intelligence’ has some early takers, plenty of skepticism

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(The Center Square) – Whether the Sept. 29 executive order of second-term President Donald Trump related to computer systems, software and processes that can emulate aspects of human work and cognition changes vocabulary beyond his administration will be told with time.

For now, replacing the term “artificial intelligence” with “super intelligence” is his request. Writing on social media this week, Trump doubled down by saying anyone using “artificial intelligence” as opposed to “super intelligence” is an “enemy” of the White House.

Part of his reasoning is “use of the word artificial makes intelligence fake.”

Elon Musk, who changed SpaceXAI’s name to SpaceXSI, and Jeff Bezos backed the terminology change.

Executive Order 14434 says in part, “The terminology used by the federal government should reflect the transformative capabilities of these technologies and the limitless opportunities they create for the American people.”

Researchers and critics from within the field say “superintelligence” has historically described hypothetical, future artificial intelligence that surpasses human intelligence in all areas rather than current language models.

Two of the nation’s leading research institutions into artificial intelligence, and its impact on people, are at Elon University in North Carolina through the Imagining the Digital Future Center and the Elon Poll. Multiple research reports coupled with polling nationwide have been delivered this decade.

Lee Rainie, director of the Imagining the Digital Future Center, in a digital interview with The Center Square said, “I’m not sure rebranding AI as ‘super intelligence’ will move the needle on the public’s views. Our recent surveys have shown growing public apprehension about the impact of AI -- everything from job loss to the construction of data centers to the possibility that rogue AI agents might wreak havoc on human existence.

“There is a growing sense that AI is likely to undermine humans’ sense of purpose, agency and thinking. Our new survey about the future of work show how most foresee the spread of AI systems as a painful bargain. They predict fewer jobs, pay that falls short of a decent living and work that offers less meaning. At the same time, many are using AI and reporting good results from it at work and in their personal lives. It’s a very mixed and fluid picture.”

Renaming ultimatums are nothing new for the 80-year-old president.

A short list would be Mount Denali back to Mount McKinley; Lake Ontario to Lake America; Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America; and the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts to Trump-Kennedy Center. Then there’s the Department of Defense back to Department of War, or the idea floated of Strait of Hormuz to Trump Strait.

Objectively, some not all have gained traction and some not all have experienced strong rejection.