Musk embraces Trump’s super intelligence rebrand ahead of tech peers
Elon Musk has aligned with President Donald Trump’s push to rebrand artificial intelligence as super intelligence, taking the initiative further than any other tech CEO. On Sunday, Musk announced on X that he would replace AI with SI, stating, “No more AI. SI. It’s better.” He confirmed plans to rename SpaceXAI as SpaceXSI, calling SpaceX a super intelligence company. Musk’s endorsement stands out among other tech executives who have largely reserved the new term for government meetings.
Trump’s executive order, signed on September 29, directs federal agencies to replace AI with SI in official communications, websites, and reports. The order does not affect existing regulations or past actions but expects proposed legislative language defining super intelligence within 60 days. The move aims to distance the field from negative perceptions, such as data center opposition and AI-related security breaches.
Despite Trump’s enthusiasm, the rebrand faces skepticism. A YouGov poll found 53% of respondents prefer artificial intelligence, while only 9% support super intelligence. California Governor Gavin Newsom rejected the change, calling it a distraction from safety risks. Others, like AI professor David Krueger, argue the shift creates confusion, as superintelligence already has a distinct meaning.
The renaming aligns with Trump’s pattern of renaming landmarks and institutions. While Nvidia’s Jensen Huang has adopted the term, other leading AI labs expect SI to remain mostly within government dealings.