Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX, has indicated plans to rename the company's artificial intelligence division from SpaceXAI to SpaceXSI. This potential rebranding aligns with a recent executive order issued by former US President Donald Trump, which directs federal departments and agencies to adopt the term "super intelligence" (SI) in place of "artificial intelligence" (AI) in official government communications.
Musk Hints at Change on Social Media
Musk signaled the impending change in a social media post on October 4, stating, "No more AI." He elaborated that "SI is better" and later confirmed the shift in a reply to a user, saying, "Yes, we will make that change." In another post, Musk declared, "SpaceX is a super intelligence company," underscoring his embrace of the new terminology.
Trump's Executive Order and Reasoning
President Trump's executive order, signed last week, mandates that all US federal documents and applicable settings will no longer recognize "Artificial Intelligence" or "AI." Trump argues that contemporary AI systems have evolved beyond simply automating aspects of human intelligence, suggesting that "super intelligence" more accurately reflects the advanced capabilities of current technology. He expressed hope that this change would extend globally, proclaiming, "From this point forward, all of United States documents, and hopefully the world's, will be changed to use the much more accurate term ‘super’ as opposed to artificial. So it's super intelligence."
Formation of a 'Super Intelligence Force'
Alongside the push for new terminology, Trump also announced the establishment of a "Super Intelligence Force" on October 4. This task force, led by Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton, aims to ensure the United States maintains global leadership in advanced SI technology. The group is tasked with collaborating with the federal government and engaging with a broad spectrum of stakeholders, including consumers, public interest organizations, religious organizations, infrastructure providers, and industry leaders, to guide the responsible development and deployment of super intelligence.
The directive is expected to prompt other technology companies, including prominent AI developers like OpenAI, to consider similar rebranding efforts to align with the new federal standard.