Two sharply different approaches to artificial intelligence governance took center stage at the United Nations General Assembly this week, as President Donald Trump proposed renaming AI in U.S. government documents while UN Secretary-General António Guterres used his final address to push for stronger international safeguards.
Trump said U.S. government documents should replace the term 'artificial intelligence' with 'super intelligence,' arguing that the word 'artificial' incorrectly suggests the technology produces fake or lesser intelligence. He presented the new term as a more accurate description of rapidly advancing computer systems. 'Whoever wins super intelligence wins,' Trump said, while emphasizing that his administration plans to make AI a major national priority and avoid broad new federal restrictions. Trump added that the Justice Department could intervene if AI companies created risks requiring government action.
Guterres, whose second five-year term ends on December 31, called for a global framework to manage AI risks. He urged countries developing the most advanced systems to share information about emerging safety risks, cooperate on testing and evaluation, and work toward common safeguards. The UN created a 39-member AI advisory body in 2023, and the Security Council held its first formal discussion on AI risks that same year. This week, representatives from OpenAI, Anthropic and Chinese AI companies are expected to brief the council.
The contrast highlights a widening disagreement over how quickly governments should regulate frontier AI. Guterres argued for coordinated international oversight, while the Trump administration stressed technological leadership and a lighter regulatory approach. AI is also expected to feature in talks between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, with U.S. officials proposing a notification system covering AI incidents with national-security implications.
