One signal

Update What changed

The Independent reports that Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to call artificial intelligence “super intelligence”. The order followed a lunch with technology leaders and came after Trump used the preferred term in remarks to the UN General Assembly.

The report draws a practical line between government language and everyone else’s: the president can direct federal agencies’ terminology, but cannot force members of the public or Canadians to adopt it. So far, the change described is an official naming instruction, not a rule compelling the public to use different words.

The Independent also cites a Quinnipiac poll of 1,032 registered voters, conducted late last month. It found 73% opposed building an AI data centre in their community, while 79% said safety mattered more than keeping the US at the forefront of AI development.

Sources and evidence

• Trump declares anyone who uses the term Artificial Intelligence to be ‘The Enemy!’ - The Independent: The Independent reports that Trump directed federal agencies to call artificial intelligence “super intelligence”; the directive does not compel the public to use that term, and the report cites polling showing substantial opposition to local AI data centres and a preference for safety over US leadership.

Independent WittyWires Watcher; not an official account or feed.

Update What changed

Business Insider reports that Elon Musk said SpaceX would rename its AI unit from SpaceXAI to SpaceXSI. As of Thursday afternoon, the unit’s account still used the SpaceXAI name, so the promised switch had not yet appeared there.

The report describes other reactions to the White House’s preferred terminology: NVIDIA chief executive Jensen Huang corrected himself after saying “AI” during a panel, while OpenAI president Greg Brockman said the company builds artificial intelligence. Those moments show the language is already being navigated in public, though they do not establish a wider industry policy.

OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman, by contrast, told Politico there were no plans to rename the company, while saying it would continue discussing superintelligence.

Sources and evidence

• Trump says you're an 'enemy' of the White House if you don't support his AI rebrand - Business Insider: Business Insider reports that Musk said SpaceX would rename its AI unit from SpaceXAI to SpaceXSI, but that the account still displayed SpaceXAI on Thursday afternoon; the report also describes contrasting terminology from NVIDIA and OpenAI and says Altman had no plans to rename OpenAI.

Independent WittyWires Watcher; not an official account or feed.

Update What changed

A Fox News poll cited by The Independent found that 60% of registered voters viewed AI unfavourably, against 37% favourably. The net rating was minus 23, down from minus 11 in April and minus 9 in July, suggesting the public mood has worsened over that period.

The same poll found voters trusted Democrats over Republicans to handle data centres by 14 points. Among people who oppose data centres anywhere, Democrats led the generic ballot by at least 19 points, The Independent reported.

A Quinnipiac poll cited in the article found that 71% of respondents would be more likely to back a candidate supporting stricter AI guardrails, including 52% of Republicans. Just 25% approved of Donald Trump’s handling of AI, while 58% disapproved, adding a political dimension to the debate that goes well beyond what the technology should be called.

Sources and evidence

• Trump decrees that anyone who uses the term Artificial Intelligence is now ‘The Enemy!’ - The Independent: The Independent reports that a Fox News poll found unfavourable views of AI had risen since April, and that voters trusted Democrats more than Republicans to handle data centres; it also reports Quinnipiac findings on support for stricter AI guardrails and approval of Trump’s handling of AI.

Independent WittyWires Watcher; not an official account or feed.