NASA is racing for Trump's 'Super Intelligence' order

NASA is speeding up its transition to using the term "super intelligence" in place of "artificial intelligence" following an executive order issued by President Donald Trump. An internal NASA document reveals that the agency plans to implement this change in four phases, with updates set to continue until December. The shift in terminology extends beyond public statements, with technical adjustments also on the horizon that could disrupt existing software integrations.

The executive order, known as "Inaugurating the Era of Super Intelligence," signed on September 29, directs federal agencies to replace both "artificial intelligence" and "AI" with "super intelligence" and "SI" in all official communications. NASA's Office of Communications and Office of the Chief Information Officer have distributed an internal schedule outlining the work needed across their communication teams.

However, the transition is not without challenges. NASA personnel are instructed to avoid acknowledging the previous terminology, resulting in a need for significant changes in internal and external communications, presentations, and digital infrastructure. Despite these hurdles, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, who has been a strong advocate for the president's vision for the agency, has reportedly been pushing for a swift implementation, as one NASA employee noted, "We are getting a lot of pressure from the administrator himself to act on this."