Tech CEOs begin adopting Trump's super intelligence branding

The White House mandate

President Donald Trump recently issued a directive to replace the term 'artificial intelligence' with 'super intelligence' across all executive branch departments and agencies. This order followed a White House luncheon held on September 29 where the president hosted industry leaders to discuss the growth of the technology. The goal is to promote the development of these systems within the United States while maintaining limited regulations.

The administration's push for this rebranding has intensified recently. Trump announced on Truth Social that he intends to ban the use of 'AI' in all relevant documents and other official materials. This move comes as the president seeks to shape the national narrative surrounding the capabilities and implications of advanced computing systems.

The rebranding is happening against a backdrop of shifting political dynamics. The Republican Party is currently facing a potential loss of control in the House and Senate during the upcoming midterm elections. Despite a drop in his job approval and an all-time low in economic approval ratings, the president continues to push this specific terminology to his closest tech allies.

Adoption by Musk and Zuckerberg

Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg have been among the first major tech leaders to comply with the new terminology. Musk recently renamed the AI division of his rocket company to SpaceXSI. During a call regarding his work on humanoid robots, Musk noted that his current projects are not using advanced AI or SI.

Mark Zuckerberg followed a similar path during Meta's earnings call on October 21. He stated that the company's primary goal is to deliver personal superintelligence to every user. While Meta is already using the term, they established a specific unit called Meta Superintelligence Labs last year to house these efforts.

These two executives are often cited as some of the most vocal supporters of the Trump administration in the technology sector. Their alignment is visible in how they have integrated the president's preferred language into their corporate communications. By adopting 'super intelligence,' they are signaling a close relationship with the White House's vision for the industry.

Resistance from other giants

Not all tech giants have moved as quickly to abandon the term 'AI.' Amazon CEO Andy Jassy used the acronym more than a dozen times during his introductory remarks on a recent earnings call. Similarly, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella emphasized his company's focus on designing AI to empower people during his quarterly commentary.

Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai also stuck with the traditional branding. He noted that the search giant's AI investments are currently driving increased user growth and overall usage. These leaders appear to be maintaining their existing branding even as the political pressure to change it increases.

While these companies are not openly defying the president, they are choosing to keep 'AI' as their primary identifier for now. This creates a bifurcated landscape where some companies are embracing the new government-backed terminology while others stick to the established industry standard. The tension between these two branding paths remains to be seen.

The term is seeping in

Despite the hesitation from some CEOs, the term 'super intelligence' is beginning to appear in official corporate filings. Microsoft's annual report included eight mentions of the term, starting at the very top of the letter to shareholders. In the letter, Nadella asked how the company can deliver real-world outcomes during this new era.

IBM is also beginning to blend the two terms in its public communications. CEO Arvind Krishna used 'super intelligence' alongside 'AI' during a recent earnings call. He described the company's progress as a move toward becoming a software-led hybrid cloud and AI platform company that also innovates in super intelligence.

The chip industry is also seeing the language shift. Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan stated that the current supply shortages in the chip market are being driven by the unprecedented demand for super intelligence. This suggests that the rebranding is moving beyond just marketing and into the underlying infrastructure of the hardware supply chain.

Political and industry ties

Several tech leaders have been explicit in their support of the White House's terminology. Palo Alto Networks CEO Nikesh Arora repeatedly referred to SI during a recent CNBC interview. He also praised the White House meeting as an epic moment on social media shortly after it occurred.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is another prominent figure who has aligned with the new branding. As the head of the world's most valuable company, Huang has been a vocal supporter of the president on the debate over AI safety. He recently praised the 'White House Accord on Super Intelligence' on social media.

Huang argued that super intelligence offers a way to advance discovery, productivity, and security. He suggested that the future of the technology will be defined by the confidence it earns from the public. These statements highlight how the rebranding is being used to frame the technology as a tool for prosperity and national advancement.