Kenneth Glad
Words hold immense power in modern politics. A simple shift in how government officials label a common tool can spark massive debate. Language itself has now become the latest regulatory battlefield between Washington and Sacramento.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday banning federal agencies from using a well-known tech phrase, according to Politico. Official websites, policy documents, and public reports must now adopt the term “super intelligence” or “SI” instead of artificial intelligence.
Trump argued that the older phrase fails to capture how fast the industry is moving. Speaking to reporters at the White House, he insisted modern systems do “much more than imitate or automate discrete aspects of human intelligence”. “It’s not artificial, we all agree on that,” the president said.
In the tech sector, superintelligence actually describes hypothetical software that exceeds human thinking in virtually all aspects, a milestone that has not yet been achieved. Trump previously tested the term at the U.N. General Assembly to fight calls for international regulations, framing American leadership as a critical national security issue.
Warnings and new rules
The directive arrived as tech executives gathered at the White House to sign a “morally binding” constitution. Under the agreement, firms promised to work with independent external auditors and establish board oversight committees to ensure models do not hack systems.
Meanwhile, whistleblowers continue to warn about serious risks, including widespread job replacement and rogue agents accessing government websites. Trump has repeatedly dismissed these concerns as a “hoax”.
Federal departments face a swift deadline to update their communications. The order also tasks Office of Science and Technology Policy director Michael Kratsios with determining whether the government should officially modify or expand the formal definition of the new terminology.
Sacramento pushes back
California moved quickly to reject the federal mandate. Governor Gavin Newsom signed a rival executive order instructing all state departments to stick strictly to the traditional phrasing. The state is completely ignoring the federal rebranding effort.
Newsom took a direct swipe at the president in his announcement. In an official statement, reports Politico, the governor declared that “super intelligence is clearly not coming from the White House”. He asserted that California would remain the nation’s true technology leader.
The official California order featured incredibly sharp language. The legal document noted that changing a name “cannot distract a person of normal intelligence” from addressing real safety risks. Alongside the decree, Newsom signed new legislation protecting workers against automated firing decisions.
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This sudden clash highlights a deepening political divide over high-tech oversight. Washington is actively pushing for rapid national growth and global dominance. At the exact same time, California continues to chart its own course through strict state-level guardrails.
Sources: Politico, Executive Order N-10-26 / Gavin Newsom / X
