Executive Order 14434: Inaugurating the Era of Super Intelligence

What the order directs

The order tells executive departments and agencies, to the maximum extent permitted by law, to use the terms “Super Intelligence” and “SI” instead of “Artificial Intelligence” and “AI” in official correspondence, public communications, websites, reports, policy documents and other nonstatutory executive-branch documents. This is a direction about terminology in federal materials, not a finding that a particular technology has reached a defined capability.

For the order’s own purposes, and except where law provides otherwise, the new terms encompass the technologies and systems covered by the existing statutory definition of artificial intelligence in 15 U.S.C. 9401(3). The order says this definition governs its implementation unless later presidential action consistent with law or Congress supersedes it.

What happens next

Within 60 days, the Assistant to the President for Science and Technology is directed to submit proposed legislative language for a federal definition of “Super Intelligence” and “SI.” The proposal must assess whether it should change the current statutory AI definition, identify any conforming statutory amendments, and recommend any additional executive action. A proposal is not itself a change to the statute.

The interim definition incorporates the technologies covered by 15 U.S.C. § 9401(3), except where law provides otherwise. It continues unless superseded by lawful later presidential action or legislation. Renaming executive-branch communications therefore does not itself amend statutory terminology, require rewriting historical records or establish that a new capability threshold has been achieved. Federal Register — full signed text and section references.

What remains unchanged in the text

The order expressly says previously issued regulations, presidential actions, contracts, grants and other historical documents need not be altered. Its directions are qualified by applicable law and available appropriations. EO Explained continues to use the terms found in each source when discussing earlier orders; this guide reports the new administration direction without treating its terminology as an established scientific classification.

What happened next

The Federal Register published Executive Order 14434 on October 2, 2026. Its 60-day proposal deadline is measured from the September 29, 2026 signing date.

Three questions for the proposed statutory definition

The legislative submission has three required parts under section 3(b): assess whether a new definition should modify, expand or supersede the existing AI definition; identify appropriate changes to statutory references; and recommend additional presidential or executive action needed to implement it. The science and technology adviser may consult other agency heads as appropriate. The 60-day period runs to November 28, 2026, calculated from the signing date. As of October 7, 2026, that submission deadline had not arrived. Official Federal Register text, section 3(b).

The administration's stated rationale is that the new name better conveys the technology's growing capabilities and opportunities. Its September 29 fact sheet argues that the terminology will focus agencies on further development and applications. This is the administration's explanation for its language policy; the fact sheet does not provide a scientific test or a capability threshold that systems must pass to receive the new label. White House explanation; the order's existing statutory definition in section 3(a).

A separate agreement with technology companies

A different September 29 document, the White House Accord on Super Intelligence, addresses frontier-model oversight. Its signatories include Google, Anthropic, Meta, OpenAI, xAI and Nvidia. The text calls for four layers: internal controls monitoring capabilities and risks; an internal team overseeing those controls and resolving problems; independent external assessment; and an independent board committee receiving reports and overseeing remediation. It also commits participating companies to regular meetings about standards and practices. These commitments appear in the accord, not in EO 14434's directions to federal agencies. Accord text preserved by the American Presidency Project.

The accord says that codification in law or regulation might make sense over time. It does not itself supply such legislation. In an October 1 analysis, Freshfields emphasized that the parallel agreement was voluntary and had no legally enforceable obligations or enforcement mechanism. The firm's practical advice was that contractors, grant applicants and others communicating with agencies should expect the new terminology in future federal materials. That is a legal practitioner's assessment of the documents, rather than a court ruling or proof that every agency had already changed its communications. Accord's concluding paragraph; Freshfields analysis.

Official source and how we checked

White House — signed text of Executive Order 14434: “Inaugurating the Era of Super Intelligence” (September 29, 2026). The scope, assigned officials and deadlines above are drawn from the order itself. Federal Register — Executive Order 14434, 91 FR 63129 (October 2, 2026), document 2026-20321.

Government Publishing Office — complete Federal Register text of EO 14434, October 2, 2026, used to check every named implementation role and distinguish numerical deadlines from ongoing or undated duties.