US Treasury Pushes Global Partners to Rename AI as Super Intelligence at IMF

US Treasury Leads Push to Rename Artificial Intelligence

The US Treasury is actively negotiating with International Monetary Fund shareholders to replace the term artificial intelligence with super intelligence in official international communications1

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. Treasury Undersecretary for International Affairs Erin Browne confirmed in a Thursday interview that Washington is working to incorporate the new terminology into a statement being drafted by the IMF's steering committee, the International Monetary and Financial Committee2

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Trump's Directive Drives International Policy Announcement

President Donald Trump directed US government agencies last month to use the words super intelligence instead of artificial intelligence when referring to the technology3

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. The policy announcement marked a significant shift in how the US government frames discussions around AI capabilities. Browne emphasized that Trump has been clear about this priority, stating the administration believes the term SI more appropriately encapsulates the technology at hand1

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International Negotiations at IMF Raise Questions

The United States, which holds the rotating G20 presidency, wants the change to take hold internationally through the IMFC statement2

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. However, the push to standardize terminology internationally has raised eyebrows among some IMFC members during international negotiations. A source familiar with the matter revealed that US officials suggested they would insist on the new language, creating tension in what are typically consensus-driven discussions1

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Browne declined to comment on whether Washington would refuse to sign off on the statement unless the switch was made, noting that negotiations are still ongoing3

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. If Washington withholds its support for a consensus statement, the current IMFC chair, Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan, could still issue a chair's statement summarizing member views. One possibility being discussed involves skipping mention of SI or AI altogether and focusing on new technology instead2

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Linking Super Intelligence to Global Economic Growth

The US Treasury frames the terminology shift as part of a broader vision for global economic growth. Browne stated that the administration sees super intelligence as a driving force behind American growth and global growth1

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. She added that many countries are looking to the US to set the standards and path forward for SI development and how it can enhance and boost growth and productivity on a global basis3

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What This Means for Global Discourse

The IMFC will hold a news conference and release any agreed statement led by Al-Jadaan and IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva on Saturday2

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. The outcome of these discussions could reshape global discourse around AI capabilities and set precedents for how international bodies address emerging technologies. The US position suggests Washington believes the rename AI initiative reflects a more accurate assessment of current technological capabilities rather than future potential. Whether other nations will adopt this framing remains uncertain, but the US Treasury's push signals an attempt to influence how the world conceptualizes and discusses these systems in policy contexts.