Everything We Know About Trump’s Super Intelligence Force

Artificial intelligence could one day surpass human intelligence, transforming industries like medicine, education and art even more than it already has. This possibility has convinced President Donald Trump that the technology has outgrown its name. In September 2026, Trump renamed AI to “super intelligence” and launched the “Super Intelligence Force” (SIF) — a new task force charged with ensuring the United States continues to dominate the AI industry and advances the technology to raise Americans’ quality of life. 

But this refresh has done little to assuage fears around artificial intelligence, and it’s unclear exactly how Trump’s task force will guide the technology’s development long term. Let’s dive into what the president envisions for super intelligence, why he’s embracing this term and what his task force could mean for his overall strategy and the AI industry as a whole. 

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What Is Super Intelligence, According to Trump? 

According to Trump’s executive order, “Super Intelligence” is simply a new name for the field of artificial intelligence, which refers to computer systems that can complete tasks that typically require human cognition. That said, the term super intelligence is intended to reflect AI’s expanding capabilities, since AI models can do “much more than imitate or automate discreet aspects of human intelligence.” The EO also notes that the definition of super intelligence could be tweaked upon further review, and that current mentions of AI could be adjusted as well. 

While Trump’s version of super intelligence is still a work in progress, it should not be confused with an existing term called “artificial super intelligence.” ASI refers to AI that exceeds human intelligence in every facet, including emotional intelligence, decision-making and problem-solving. For now, Trump’s super intelligence is synonymous with regular AI that isn’t on par with advanced human intelligence, though it still needs some guardrails. 

What Is the Super Intelligence Force? 

The Super Intelligence Force is a task force created by President Trump that will work with consumers, religious organizations, AI companies and other stakeholders to maintain America’s position as an AI leader and wield the technology to support everyday Americans. Its members include Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton, Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission Andrew Ferguson, Chief Technology Officer Emil Michael and Director of the Office of Personnel Management Scott Kupor. 

Clayton is also Trump’s newly selected AI czar, and he’s favored AI innovation over calls for an industry-wide slowdown. At the same time, Trump has provided few concrete details on how the task force will regulate AI, making it likely that this body exists to accelerate AI development in the United States, fend off improving Chinese models and prevent stricter government entities from forming and reining in the technology.

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Why Is Trump Renaming Artificial Intelligence? 

Artificial intelligence doesn’t have the best reputation. A recent Gallup survey found that almost 40 percent of Americans believe AI will do more harm than good, and nearly a third don’t trust businesses to use it responsibly at all. This AI-driven anxiety stems from wide-ranging concerns, including data centers draining local resources, automation disrupting the job market and surveillance cameras disregarding personal privacy. Trump might think then that a total rebrand could take Americans’ minds off the negative associations they’ve formed with AI.   

A Morning Consult poll also found that nearly half of Republican voters support the federal government testing AI systems before public releases. This sentiment likely spiked after AI agents went rogue and hacked other companies, exposing the dangers of letting agents run wild without enough safeguards in place. By labeling AI as super intelligence and establishing a task force, Trump can dissociate the technology from these worst-case scenarios and portray it as being under control thanks to increased oversight. 

After all, this decision comes during a midterm election cycle where AI has become the defining issue for voters. If Trump can’t quell the concerns surrounding AI safety, he may lose the public momentum he needs to realize his grand vision of solidifying the U.S. as a supreme tech power on the world stage. 

How Does This Task Force Fit Into Trump’s AI Strategy? 

Trump has consistently taken a hands-off approach to AI, promoting deregulation in his AI Action Plan. More recently, he’s asserted that the only “guardrail” the technology needs is a “strong and smart” president, and that broader efforts around AI safety and stricter regulations are merely a “hoax.” He’s even tried to pin the responsibility on AI companies, proposing “tremendous self-regulation” as the solution. 

It’s no surprise then that the few regulatory moves he’s made have mostly been received as empty gestures. For instance, his national AI framework doesn’t clearly explain how to implement many of its measures, while his AI executive order creates a voluntary model review process that any organization can skip. And though he convened leaders from Google, Anthropic, Meta, OpenAI, SpaceXAI and Nvidia to sign an AI safety pact, it’s described as “toothless” because it is not legally binding. 

In short, Trump appears dead-set on prioritizing AI innovation over regulation, only approving rules that keep the technology’s path free of obstacles. This decision to side with tech titans is a major risk ahead of the midterms, and renaming artificial intelligence to super intelligence may not save Trump from the backlash that’s been brewing over the past year.

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What Does the Super Intelligence Force Mean for the AI Industry? 

If AI leaders want a watered-down regulatory landscape that’s easier to navigate, they may not get it. Trump’s Super Intelligence Force is supposed to advance AI development, but it still faces the challenge of resolving clashing views on AI and finding enough common ground to build a unified policy playbook. 

Meanwhile, an anti-AI movement is spreading across the U.S. workforce and society, as people grapple with how the technology could upend their career prospects and daily lives. It doesn’t help that the American public is turning on Big Tech in general, with tech moguls accumulating unprecedented wealth at the expense of consumers’ well-being. 

No matter how much Trump highlights the benefits of AI under his super intelligence initiative, it may not be enough to undo the distrust many people feel toward the tech and the companies that profit off it. And if American voters see super intelligence as nothing more than a rebranding effort to manipulate their perceptions of AI, negative poll results may be the last thing Trump and his tech allies need to worry about.

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