China says it 'respects' Trump's 'super intelligence' switch from AI

China's foreign ministry has expressed respect for the United States' decision to switch from the term "artificial intelligence" to "super intelligence" in official communications, according to a statement released on Saturday. The change comes after U.S. President Donald Trump announced his administration's intention to rename AI as "super intelligence" or SI in official communications during a summit with Chinese leaders this week.

The technology was a significant topic of discussion during the summit between the U.S. and Chinese leaders in Washington. According to Trump's social media post following the talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, the Chinese leader seemed to favor the term "super intelligence" as it is more accurate and important than the previous name, "artificial intelligence."

While China has not explicitly confirmed or denied Trump's characterization of the discussion, Beijing's foreign ministry stated that it attaches importance to the U.S. side's position and respects the U.S. wording. The ministry emphasized that both sides can strengthen exchanges, discuss in-depth, and seek consensus on AI technologies in light of the latest situation.

Following the summit, China and the United States agreed to establish a communication channel for AI incidents. Billionaire Trump has consistently downplayed concerns about AI posing a threat to humanity, while Xi Jinping has taken a more measured tone, asserting that the technology must develop under human control.