Trump's AI Rebrand May Be Tied to Slovenia, Fueling Speculation and Controversy

US President Donald Trump's decision to rebrand Artificial Intelligence (AI) as 'Super Intelligence' has sparked controversy, with some alleging it may be an insider move tied to Slovenia. The country, which shares a web suffix (.si), signed an AI partnership with Washington on September 24.

New registrations of .si domains exploded in September, jumping from fewer than 2,000 in August to around 44,000. Investor and policy consultant Adam Cochran claims the activity began earlier, rising in June, while AI-related .si names started changing hands at high prices.

Cochran alleges that over 12,000 AI- or MAGA-related domains were registered or changed hands before Trump floated 'Super Intelligence' on Truth Social on September 19. He claims this could have profited people in Trump's inner circle.

Economist Roman Sheremeta called the episode an alleged 'enrichment ploy.' However, Netcraft found a simpler explanation: speculation, as .si names cost about $11 a year compared to roughly $180 for a minimum two-year .ai registration. Over half of the detected domains at Dynadot between Trump's September 19 post and UN speech were later listed for resale.