Donald Trump Renamed AI to SI in West Wing

The president criticized a reporter during a meeting with tech leaders.

Updated on Sept. 30, 2026 in Artificial Intelligence

Bold flat-color editorial illustration featuring a heavy stone plinth, representing the formal adoption of new administrative terminology.
President Trump officially rebranded artificial intelligence as 'SI' during a West Wing meeting with technology leaders on Tuesday. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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President Donald Trump officially renamed artificial intelligence to SI during a press gaggle at the West Wing. The event occurred while the president was meeting with prominent tech leaders.

Why it matters

The change in terminology marks a shift in official rhetoric regarding advanced technology policy. The interaction also highlighted ongoing tensions between the administration and major news outlets.

The transition involves renaming artificial intelligence to SI, a change announced during a gathering of industry executives. Meta has secured expedited data center permits during the current presidential term.

The players

Donald Trump

He is the current President of the United States.

Mark Zuckerberg

He is the CEO of Meta and holds an estimated net worth of $253 billion.

Kristen Holmes

She is a reporter for CNN who was criticized by the president.

Dario Amodei

He is an executive working in the artificial intelligence sector.

The details

During the exchange, Donald Trump leaned forward to point at CNN reporter Kristen Holmes and labeled the network as fake news. Mark Zuckerberg was observed biting his lip and smiling while Dario Amodei attempted to discuss AI risks before being interrupted.

Timeline

  1. September 29, 2026: The president met with tech leaders and criticized a reporter.

  2. September 2026: The president banned and then restored various press credentials.

The Tech Race

The reclassification of artificial intelligence to SI diverges from the standard terminology codified in the Executive Order on Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence. This shift represents a broader attempt by the administration to exert control over the nomenclature of emerging technologies.

Users may soon see the acronym SI replace AI in government documents and official federal communications. This shift could impact how tech companies market their services to federal agencies.

The takeaway

The move suggests a push for unique administrative branding in the tech sector. Readers should monitor future federal guidance to see if the new SI acronym becomes the standard for regulatory compliance.

Further reading

For more on evolving standards, visit Artificial Intelligence.

Source note: This article includes information reported by The Daily Beast.

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