White House tells agencies to call AI "superintelligence"

In short: The White House is pushing federal agencies to use the term “superintelligence” instead of “artificial intelligence” in public communications.

What happened

The New York Times reports that a September 2026 executive order told federal agencies to change the words they use in public, shifting from “artificial intelligence” to “superintelligence.” The order argues that today’s technology does more than copy or automate human tasks.

In an Interesting Times interview, White House science adviser Michael Kratsios said he still uses the phrase “artificial intelligence.” But he said “superintelligence” better reflects the technology’s potential to speed up scientific discovery. He connected the word choice to the administration’s Genesis Mission, a plan to make federal research resources and computing power available to scientists across government agencies.

Not everyone agrees with the new label. “Superintelligence” is commonly used to mean a hypothetical system that is broadly smarter than humans across many kinds of thinking. The reporting notes that this kind of system has not been achieved. Critics worry the term could blur the line between tools we have today and a future idea that may or may not arrive.

Why it matters

Words shape expectations. Calling today’s AI “superintelligence” can sound like saying a calculator is a “math genius” (it is useful, but it is not a person). That can affect how the public understands risks, benefits, and what government programs are actually funding and building.

Source: NYTimes