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Tech Leaders Adopt Trump Administration Term Super Intelligence

Silicon Valley titans including Satya Nadella and Jensen Huang shift terminology to align with White House branding for AI technology.

Jonathan Reyes · Oct 12, 2026 · 3 min read

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Key highlights · 3 min read

  • Leading figures in the technology industry are rapidly adopting the term super intelligence, a rebranding effort initiated by President Donald Trump.
  • Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX, was among the first to signal compliance by pledging to rename internal projects like SpaceXAI to SpaceXSI.
  • Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang, who was present when the executive order mandating the term super intelligence for government agencies was announced, has also integrated the phrase into his co…
Tech Leaders Adopt Trump Administration Term Super IntelligenceThe Scale Report
Image: AI | The Verge

Leading figures in the technology industry are rapidly adopting the term super intelligence, a rebranding effort initiated by President Donald Trump. While the public continues to use the standard acronym AI, corporate executives are shifting their language to mirror the White House directive that labeling technology as artificial intelligence is inaccurate. The Scale Report understands this pivot represents a strategic effort to cultivate favor with the current administration after years of tense political relations.

Influential Corporate Shifts

Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX, was among the first to signal compliance by pledging to rename internal projects like SpaceXAI to SpaceXSI. Marc Benioff, the chief executive of Salesforce, followed suit by renaming his firm's branding from AIForce to SIForce shortly after the President declared that using the traditional terminology would classify individuals as an enemy of the administration. These swift changes suggest a broader trend of companies seeking to preemptively appease federal regulators.

Industry Pragmatism

Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang, who was present when the executive order mandating the term super intelligence for government agencies was announced, has also integrated the phrase into his company's public commitments. Nvidia recently pledged $1 billion toward research efforts, explicitly framing the initiative under the new branding. Satya Nadella, the chief executive of Microsoft, recently adopted the term as well, using it repeatedly in a public call for implementing an emergency brake for the technology.

Why It Matters

This linguistic alignment reflects the high stakes for major tech firms navigating a second Trump term. By mirroring the preferences of the administration, executives are likely attempting to secure a seat at the policy table and avoid the combative atmosphere that defined the President's first term. This pivot demonstrates the substantial influence the White House holds over corporate messaging when companies rely on favorable policy and procurement stability from the federal government.

Donald TrumpSatya NadellaJensen HuangElon MuskMarc BenioffMicrosoft

Reporting based on coverage from AI | The Verge.

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