President Donald J. Trump issued an executive order renaming artificial intelligence as 'super intelligence,' prompting tech leaders to comply without protest. The directive, announced at a White House lunch with top AI executives, marked a dramatic shift from the term that has defined the field for 70 years.
The order mandates that the government refer to the technology as 'super intelligence,' with no specific benchmark or performance metric provided. Tech leaders, including Jeff Bezos, Sundar Pichai, and Elon Musk, reportedly did not object to the rebranding, despite its controversial nature.
The move has sparked debate among experts, with some questioning the practicality of the name change. Nick Bostrom, a philosopher known for popularizing the term 'superintelligence,' expressed confusion over the directive, noting that the term refers to systems that greatly surpass human intelligence, a category that includes a wide range of AI applications.
"The name has been changed by the biggest, the, smartest, the greatest people anywhere in the world," Trump said during a post-lunch press gaggle, emphasizing his belief that the term 'artificial intelligence' is 'fake.' This statement reflects his broader skepticism of media outlets he perceives as 'fake news.'
The decision has been viewed as a loyalty test by some observers, with tech leaders allegedly choosing self-regulation over strict oversight. However, the lack of resistance has raised concerns about the integrity of the industry's self-regulatory efforts.
Tech companies have not yet announced plans to change their product names or communications to align with the new term. The situation remains uncertain, with many questioning whether the rebranding will persist or be abandoned with the next administration.
Source: wired
