The U.S. State Department has ordered staff to use “Super Intelligence” instead of “artificial intelligence” in official communications, according to Nextgov/FCW. An unclassified department-wide cable requires the terminology in new emails, letters, reports, websites, public statements and policy documents, subject to exceptions. Existing materials should be updated during their next revision.
The directive implements President Donald Trump's September 29 executive order calling for federal agencies to adopt the new wording. Although the terminology changes, the order currently retains the existing legal definition of artificial intelligence rather than adopting the distinct scientific meaning of superintelligence.
The instructions cover official titles and the names of departmental programs, systems and governance bodies. One initiative has already been renamed: the American AI Exports Program is now the American SI Exports Program, which supports U.S. companies selling technology abroad.
Exceptions include legally required language, citations, contracts and grants. Archived documents do not need revisions solely to reflect the change, and established titles of presidential actions and organizations remain unchanged unless further instructions are issued. The cable also tells employees to preserve foreign organizations' official names, including China's World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization.