US President Donald Trump has described the global race for artificial intelligence as a struggle for technological supremacy, declaring that the country that achieves leadership in AI will gain a decisive advantage over its rivals.
Addressing world leaders at the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday, Trump said the United States was currently ahead of China in the development of advanced AI technology and intended to maintain that position.
“Whoever wins AI, you have to remember this, whoever wins super intelligence wins,” Trump said during his address.
He claimed that the United States was leading China “by a lot” and said his administration would continue supporting the rapid development of the technology.
Trump also argued against policies that could significantly restrict AI development, warning that the technology could eventually have an impact greater than some of the most transformative inventions in modern history.
“I’m not going to stifle growth of something that will be bigger than the Industrial Revolution,” he said, while noting that some people believe AI could have an impact greater than the internet.
The president also proposed a new description for artificial intelligence, saying the United States would begin referring to the technology as “super intelligence” rather than “artificial intelligence.”
Trump argued that the new term was more appropriate because the technology was capable of producing results beyond conventional human capabilities.
“From this point forward, all of the United States’ documents and hopefully the world’s will be changed to use the much more accurate term ‘super’ as opposed to ‘artificial,’” he said.
His remarks came as AI has become an increasingly important area of competition between the United States and China, with both countries investing heavily in computing infrastructure, advanced models and related technologies.
Trump acknowledged that the rapid development of AI would create challenges but rejected warnings that the technology could inevitably lead to catastrophic consequences.
“Every major new technology brings challenges. Super intelligence is no exception,” he said.
He said the US government would encourage further development while monitoring the technology through federal institutions.
“We will only encourage super intelligence. We’re going to encourage it. We’re going to watch it closely through the Department of Justice,” Trump said.
Trump’s comments also came against the backdrop of growing international debate over how AI should be governed. At the opening of the UN General Assembly, Secretary-General António Guterres identified AI as one of four major global “tests of power” and called for stronger international cooperation on its governance.
Beyond technology, Trump used his UN address to outline his administration’s positions on a range of international issues, including conflicts, immigration, national security and the role of the United Nations.
He highlighted what he described as his administration’s efforts to resolve international conflicts and said he remained confident that the war between Russia and Ukraine could eventually be brought to an end.
Trump also defended his administration’s approach to immigration and national security, while arguing that the United States should continue to confront emerging challenges rather than retreat from them.
Returning to AI, he portrayed the technology as a frontier the United States could not afford to abandon.
“Americans have never been a nation that retreats from a frontier or shrinks from a challenge,” Trump said.
The president’s remarks placed AI squarely among the strategic issues shaping the current global competition for technological influence, with the United States seeking to maintain its position while China continues to expand its own capabilities.
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