Trump seeks global shift from AI to 'superintelligence' terminology, including China
US President Donald Trump has proposed replacing the term artificial intelligence with superintelligence in government documents and hopes other countries will follow. The State Department instructed US diplomats to use the abbreviation SI instead of AI in communications. China's foreign ministry did not confirm whether it would adopt the term but said it respects other countries' choices.
At the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, US President Donald Trump said all US government documents—and ideally those worldwide—should call rapidly advancing technology “superintelligence,” abbreviated SI. That same day, the State Department reportedly told American diplomats to switch from AI to SI in all communications.
China’s foreign ministry neither confirmed nor denied adopting the term. A spokesperson said Beijing respects other countries’ decisions about terminology. The exchange comes amid broader diplomatic activity between the two countries, including planned 2026 Xi-Trump summits.
A terminology shift could influence how governments, diplomats, journalists and publics discuss advanced computing. If Washington uses SI while other capitals keep AI, official exchanges and media coverage may become less consistent, potentially complicating cooperation and public understanding. China’s stance may affect whether the new label gains wider international use. Researchers and industry may also face adjustment costs as documents and communications change.