First lady Melania Trump has officially renamed her annual student competition focused on artificial intelligence, now calling it the Presidential Super Intelligence Challenge, a shift that aligns with President Donald Trump's push to replace the term "AI" with "SI."
In a video released Tuesday, Melania Trump announced the launch of the 2027 edition of the contest, which aims to encourage students and educators to engage with what the administration now calls "super intelligence." The rebranding follows President Trump's September executive order requiring all official U.S. documents to use the term SI, arguing that "artificial" makes intelligence sound fake.
"The largest initiative in America's education began with one bold idea," Melania Trump said in the video. "Prepare America's next generation to lead the world in the most transformative technology of our time: super intelligence."
The competition, first held last year as the Presidential Artificial Intelligence Challenge, drew more than 20,000 students from kindergarten through 12th grade across the country, according to the first lady's office. This year, participants are tasked with completing projects that involve "the study, development, or use of an SI method or tool to address community challenges," while educators are encouraged to focus on "creative approaches to teaching or using SI technologies in K-12 learning."
In her announcement, Melania Trump emphasized the importance of tapping into the potential of young minds. "America's next groundbreaking idea is already sitting in a classroom," she said. "We must give our children the knowledge, tools, and opportunities to bring those ideas to life."
As part of the initiative, schools that participate will have the chance to earn an official designation called the First Lady Seal of SI Readiness. According to a statement from the first lady's press office, the seal "recognizes schools that are taking meaningful steps to prepare students and educators to understand, use, and responsibly engage with super intelligence."
The rebranding is part of a broader administration effort to redefine the language around emerging technologies. President Trump has repeatedly criticized the term "artificial intelligence," and his September order mandated the use of "super intelligence" in all federal communications. The move has sparked debate among tech experts and educators, with some praising the emphasis on human-centric intelligence and others questioning the need for a semantic shift.
The competition's new name also aligns with the administration's focus on technological leadership, particularly in the face of global competition. As the president has pushed for policies that bolster American innovation, the challenge aims to inspire the next generation of problem-solvers.
Schools interested in participating can apply through the first lady's office, and winners will be announced later this year. The initiative has drawn attention from both supporters and critics, but Melania Trump remained focused on the mission. "We must give our children the tools to lead the world in this transformative technology," she said.
The announcement comes amid a flurry of political activity, including Trump's upcoming trip to Kentucky to support a primary challenger and a recent incident involving a heckler at an Ohio rally. But the first lady's focus remains on education and the future of American innovation.
