Trump rejects international AI controls, proposes renaming AI to 'super intelligence'

Speaking at the UN General Assembly on September 22, 2026, President Donald Trump rejected international agreements to regulate artificial intelligence, labeling them a 'globalist scheme.' Trump announced that the US will officially rename the technology to 'super intelligence' in government documents to avoid sounding 'fake.' He dismissed doomsday warnings as hoaxes, pledging to prioritize US dominance over China and resist growth-stifling regulations, complicating UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham's G20 safety plans.

Proposal to Rename AI

• ▪President Donald Trump argued that the word "artificial" makes intelligence sound fake, whereas "super intelligence" is a more accurate and better-sounding term for the technology
• ▪Prior to President Donald Trump's speech on September 22, 2026, Trump and the White House polled the public on Truth Social and X regarding alternative names for artificial intelligence, with "superior intelligence" winning at least one poll
• ▪During his speech at the United Nations General Assembly on September 22, 2026, President Donald Trump announced that United States government documents will officially refer to artificial intelligence as "super intelligence."

Rejection of International AI Controls

• ▪At the United Nations General Assembly on September 22, 2026, President Donald Trump rejected international agreements to control artificial intelligence, calling such efforts a "globalist scheme."
• ▪President Donald Trump stated that the United States Department of Justice and other domestic law enforcement bodies would monitor and rein in artificial intelligence if necessary, rather than relying on international regulations
• ▪United States Representative Lori Trahan criticized President Donald Trump's rejection of artificial intelligence guardrails, stating Trump's characterization of AI risks as a "globalist scheme" is out of touch with public sentiment

US-China AI Competition

• ▪President Donald Trump's remarks on artificial intelligence dominance at the UN General Assembly preceded a scheduled meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the White House during Xi's visit to Washington
• ▪President Donald Trump framed the development of artificial intelligence as an existential competition, asserting that the United States leads China "by a lot" and must maintain this lead

Dismissal of AI Safety Concerns

• ▪President Donald Trump pledged not to stifle the growth of artificial intelligence, asserting that the technology will be larger than the Industrial Revolution or the internet
• ▪President Donald Trump dismissed doomsday warnings about artificial intelligence, comparing them to "hoaxes" such as climate change and the investigations into his campaigns' ties to Russia and Ukraine

UK Proposals and Bilateral Meeting

• ▪President Donald Trump's rejection of international artificial intelligence controls directly opposed UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham's proposal to establish G20 global guidelines for the technology
• ▪UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham proposed that Britain could serve as an "honest broker" between the United States and China to establish a global framework for artificial intelligence oversight
• ▪During a 40-minute meeting in New York on September 22, 2026, President Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham discussed bilateral issues, including the Diego Garcia air base and West Bank settlements

Warnings from AI researchers

• ▪Researchers at Anthropic and OpenAI warned that artificial intelligence is growing exponentially smarter in ways they do not fully understand themselves
• ▪Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon resigned over concerns that artificial intelligence developers earnestly believe the technology could destroy humanity by the end of the decade

Debatable claims

• ▪The United States should prioritize AI dominance over safety regulations
• ▪The risk of human extinction from AI is overstated
• ▪The US should reject global regulations on artificial intelligence