Donald Trump has signed an executive order directing US executive branch agencies to use “Super Intelligence” in relevant official websites, documents and press releases, replacing “artificial intelligence” and “AI”. He said the new wording would help present the technology positively and address fears about its rapid progress and safety risks.

The order does not require agencies to revise past regulations or documents, but officials are expected to avoid the older terms in relevant settings. “Superintelligence” usually describes especially powerful AI, whereas the administration is applying it to the broader statutory category. Trump announced the order after a White House lunch with technology executives, including Nvidia’s Jensen Huang and Elon Musk; he also said he favoured industry self-regulation and expected companies to support communities hosting data centres.