Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg are bringing President Donald Trump's preferred term, super intelligence, into corporate technology conversations, signaling growing support for the administration's effort to replace artificial intelligence terminology across government communications.
The two technology leaders used the language during recent earnings calls, but several other major executives have continued referring to artificial intelligence, or AI. According to CNBC, the contrast shows that Trump's terminology is spreading through parts of the industry without yet becoming a universal corporate standard.
Trump pushes new terminology
The shift began on September 29, when Trump hosted a White House luncheon with technology industry leaders. During the gathering, he called for government departments and agencies to replace the familiar expression artificial intelligence with super intelligence.
The president's broader objective was to encourage the expansion of AI development in the United States while keeping regulation limited. This week, he went further, announcing on Truth Social that the terms AI and artificial intelligence should no longer appear in relevant government documents and other materials.
Musk and Zuckerberg have now carried that preferred vocabulary into prominent corporate earnings discussions. Their participation is notable because both executives have been among the technology industry's most visible supporters of the Trump administration.
Musk changes SpaceX language
Musk's companies have moved particularly quickly. Earlier in October, he renamed SpaceX's artificial intelligence division SpaceXSI, incorporating the abbreviation for super intelligence into the organization's identity.
The terminology also appeared during Tesla's latest earnings discussion. Addressing the company's work on humanoid robots, Musk acknowledged that some of the machines looked impressive but questioned whether they were using advanced AI or SI.
His wording is significant because it combines the established technical expression with the administration's preferred alternative. Rather than abandoning the older terminology entirely, Musk used both abbreviations in the same discussion.
The comments connect Trump's language initiative with two major areas of Musk's business interests: robotics at Tesla and artificial intelligence development within SpaceX. They also demonstrate how the terminology is moving beyond political announcements into conversations about commercial technology.
Zuckerberg backs personal superintelligence
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg used similar language during his company's earnings call on October 21. He highlighted Meta's ambition to make personal superintelligence available to everyone.
Unlike Musk's relatively recent adoption of the terminology, Meta already had an established organizational connection to the concept. The company created Meta Superintelligence Labs during the previous year, meaning its use of the expression predates Trump's September announcement.
That distinction matters when interpreting Zuckerberg's comments. His wording aligns with the president's preferred vocabulary, but the terminology was already part of Meta's internal structure and public ambitions.
For Meta, the reference also connects the broader concept of superintelligence with a particular vision: advanced capabilities intended for individual users rather than only large institutions or businesses.
Major rivals retain AI
Not every technology leader has followed Musk and Zuckerberg's example. Several of the industry's biggest companies continued using artificial intelligence during earnings discussions this week.
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy repeatedly used AI during Thursday's introductory remarks, mentioning the abbreviation more than a dozen times. Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella, speaking a day earlier, described designing AI to help people as one of the company's three central priorities.
Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai also used the conventional terminology almost immediately when beginning his quarterly earnings commentary. He attributed rising product usage and broader user growth to the company's investments in AI.
These examples suggest that the traditional language remains deeply embedded in the industry's public communications. However, their continued use does not necessarily represent an explicit political disagreement with Trump.
Microsoft's latest annual report offers a more complicated picture. Filed last week, the document mentioned super intelligence eight times, including in the opening portion of Nadella's shareholder letter.
"The central question"
— Satya Nadella, Microsoft CEO
Nadella framed the emerging era around the challenge of translating technological opportunities into practical results for countries, communities and companies. His comments show that Microsoft is incorporating the terminology into its corporate narrative even while its CEO continues to use AI during earnings discussions.
Other executives adopt SI
IBM CEO Arvind Krishna also used both expressions during his company's earnings call last week. Krishna, who did not attend Trump's September White House luncheon, discussed technological progress in hybrid infrastructure and super intelligence as contributors to improved business performance.
He also described IBM's position as a company focused on software-led hybrid cloud and AI platforms. His remarks illustrate that the newer terminology can coexist with the traditional vocabulary within the same corporate strategy.
Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan brought the expression into an explanation of the semiconductor industry's supply constraints. Speaking Thursday, he attributed the shortage confronting chipmakers to extraordinary demand for super intelligence.
Other executives have been more direct in their public support. Nikesh Arora, chief executive of cybersecurity company Palo Alto Networks, repeatedly used SI during an appearance on CNBC. He had also posted on X on September 30, describing the White House gathering about super intelligence as an important moment.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has similarly endorsed the administration's terminology. Huang leads the world's most valuable company and the semiconductor manufacturer whose processors have powered much of the recent AI boom.
Alongside Musk and Zuckerberg, Huang has been one of the technology industry's prominent supporters of Trump. He has also been an important ally for the president in discussions about AI safety.
Following the September White House gathering, Huang praised what he called the White House Accord on Super Intelligence in a post on X. He argued that the technology could contribute to progress in scientific discovery, productivity, security, healthcare and economic prosperity.
Why it matters
Trump's terminology campaign is developing against a politically sensitive backdrop. His preferred language is gaining visibility shortly before the November midterm elections, with Republicans facing the possibility of losing control of both chambers of Congress.
The political environment adds context to the administration's effort to reshape how artificial intelligence is discussed. Trump's approval ratings have been declining, and his economic approval rating recently reached its lowest point, according to CNBC's latest All-America Economic Survey, published last week.
The technology industry's response is therefore worth watching on two levels. The first is whether companies increasingly incorporate super intelligence into earnings calls, shareholder communications and organizational names. The second is whether the language becomes a consistent part of corporate strategy or remains alongside the established AI terminology.
For now, the evidence points to selective adoption rather than a complete industry-wide replacement. Musk and Zuckerberg have embraced the language, IBM and Intel executives have used it, and Nvidia and Palo Alto Networks leaders have publicly endorsed it. Meanwhile, Amazon, Microsoft and Alphabet continue to rely heavily on AI in their spoken corporate communications.
The next significant test will come with the technology industry's forthcoming earnings reports next month. Those discussions will provide another opportunity to see whether executives follow Trump's terminology more consistently or maintain the vocabulary that has defined the industry for years.
The emerging divide is not simply between companies accepting or rejecting a new phrase: it is between executives already building super intelligence into their corporate messaging and those still communicating primarily through the established language of AI.