US President says new terminology reflects the technology’s capabilities, stresses need to maintain America’s lead over China and calls for closer cooperation between data-centre companies and local communities
Washington, September 2026 : President Donald Trump has said his administration plans to officially rename artificial intelligence (AI) as “superintelligence”, arguing that the existing term does not adequately reflect the capabilities of the rapidly developing technology. He also backed greater self-regulation by the technology industry while stressing the need to preserve the United States’ technological advantage over China.
Speaking at a meeting and luncheon with technology industry leaders, Trump said a formal document announcing the proposed change would be signed. At a separate event marking the launch of America.gov, he said the administration would use the abbreviation “SI” for the technology.
“We're going to be renaming it superintelligence, officially renaming it,” Trump said.
Explaining the reasoning behind the proposed terminology, Trump said the word “artificial” did not accurately capture the nature of the technology. He described it instead as “extreme intelligence” and “superior intelligence”.
The proposed name change comes as the Trump administration seeks to expand the development and adoption of advanced technologies while maintaining US leadership in the sector. Trump praised the technology executives attending the meeting and suggested that developments in the field could eventually have an economic impact greater than that of the Industrial Revolution.
The President was also asked about the need for safeguards and regulation of the technology. While acknowledging the importance of existing laws and enforcement agencies, he emphasised a preference for substantial industry self-regulation.
“Well, there's a belief that there should be tremendous self-regulation,” Trump said.
He pointed to institutions including the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation as agencies capable of dealing with unlawful activity. However, his remarks did not outline specific new regulatory requirements or explain in detail how the proposed system of industry self-regulation would function.
At the America.gov launch, Trump called on technology companies to operate honestly and maintain public trust. He said government agencies could step in when individuals or organisations used technology in dangerous or unlawful ways.
A significant part of Trump's remarks focused on the strategic competition between the United States and China. He cautioned against technological cooperation that could result in sensitive American knowledge, technology or trade secrets being transferred to China.
“You know, somebody said, oh, let's do a joint venture. Let's work together with China. But if we do that, we're going to be giving a lot of secrets,” Trump said.
Trump characterised the global technology race primarily as competition between the United States and China, saying he wanted Washington to maintain its current advantage.
“We're leading now over China and everyone else, and I want to keep it that way,” he said.
The President said he had discussed the technology with Chinese President Xi Jinping, but indicated that he had been cautious about the extent of those discussions because of the importance of protecting the US technological advantage. At the same time, he noted that Washington and Beijing continued to cooperate in other areas.
Trump also highlighted the growing role of data centres in the US economy and said technology companies had agreed to work more closely with communities where such facilities are located.
According to Trump, companies could contribute to local communities through support for energy supplies, education and financial assistance for teachers and other residents. He said companies recognised the benefits of ensuring that communities hosting data centres also gained from their presence.
Trump claimed that some communities with data centres had become wealthier and benefited from lower taxes, although he did not provide specific figures or identify particular locations during his remarks.
He said technology companies wanted communities hosting their facilities to remain safe and satisfied, warning that difficulties in securing suitable locations could result in projects being shifted to other parts of the US or even overseas.
When asked about an initial public offering and concerns related to technology safety, Trump said a statement summarising the meeting would be released. He did not directly address the IPO issue in his response.
The remarks came alongside the launch of America.gov, which the administration described as a single online gateway for accessing federal government information and services.
