While I was busy drafting and posting this morning’s dispatch about AI policy complexity within the White House, the President put out a pair of posts on Truth Social that are sure to cause my headline barometer to spike yet again.
The name game
In the first, he proposes renaming Artificial Intelligence:
Many people think that the words “Artificial Intelligence” are inaccurate, and very ineloquent, relative to AI, or Artificial Intelligence. A far more elegant and accurate description of this new phenomena would be Superior Intelligence (SI) or, Extreme Intelligence (EI) or, Supreme Intelligence (SI). This is a Poll, and I would appreciate everybody voting! Which is the best name for this ever growing “Revolution?” President DONALD J. TRUMP
Below his text, voting options are presented for those three suggestions. “Leave it alone” is not a provided option.
Two thirds of Americans think the development of AI is bad for society. A majority think it carries a real risk of destroying humanity. I don’t think voters will be excited to see the President trying to assign the technology a superlative honorific. I expect this post to provoke memes that Trump has been assimilated by the Borg.
But I do expect Trump’s proposal to serve as a distraction from the live conversation around the AI extinction problem, as journalists and commentators weigh in on whether the move indicates rank hubris or tactical brilliance. When Trump insists on a new name for something, it pressures people and organizations to visibly signal loyalty or disloyalty through their use (or not) of the term. The ensuing irritation from offended parties who notice the choice then draws more coverage to Trump and the attempted name change.
If Trump declares a new term for AI, I won’t be surprised if industry leaders trying to ingratiate themselves with the administration start conspicuously using it, no matter how cringe it sounds. (First in line, I predict: Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang.) I will also not be surprised if the leading AI companies suddenly start finding a lot of roundabout alternatives to both ‘AI’ and Trump’s preferred phrase.
AI Force
In Trump’s longer second post, he reaffirms everything he’s said recently about AI concerns being part of a long line of hoaxes against him, then claims he is forming “the AI Force, much like I did Space Force.” No, I don’t know how he plans to reconcile this with his proposal to change the name of AI to something else.
The mission of the Force is fuzzy. The post says:
We will not in any way hinder or stifle the Growth of this incredible Industry. Rather, we will cherish it, help it, and watch over it, as it grows! However, we will also be looking for BAD, and we can do that, very easily, with our already existing Criminal and Civil Justice System.
He also says he will be announcing a new AI Czar position, presumably to lead this Force. That would make it different from the earlier White House AI & Crypto Czar title once held by David Sacks, which was more of a standalone position.
Despite his comparison to Space Force, I’m not convinced Trump intends to make this a full branch of service like Space Force or the Coast Guard. Possibly he’s thinking of a full cabinet-level executive department, like Homeland Security, but he might just be floating something more informal. Maybe nothing comes of this at all except more distraction.
I would actually agree that AI presents national security concerns worthy of a cabinet-level department. But “looking for BAD” is not a mission statement, and I expect voters to bristle at Trump’s suggestion that such an agency’s primary role should be to help nurture the industry as it grows.
The analyses and opinions expressed on AI StopWatch reflect the views of the individual contributors and the sources they cover, and should not be taken as official positions of the Machine Intelligence Research Institute.