A video recording of American President Donald Trump caused a wide resonance because he highly praised Google CEO Sundar Pichai, calling him a 'monster.' Pichai himself reacted to this assessment with a humorous comment, which attracted the attention of social networks. However, the essence of this interaction goes beyond a simple humorous moment, touching upon the role of artificial intelligence (AI) and technology corporations.
The situation occurred after a meeting held at the White House on September 29. At this meeting, Trump negotiated with leaders of several major technology companies, including Google, Meta, Nvidia, and Anthropic, to discuss issues related to artificial intelligence.
After the meeting concluded, while Trump was speaking with journalists, he addressed Sundar Pichai. Before Pichai could say anything, Trump interrupted him, stating that the man was a 'monster' and that people did not know enough about him. Trump continued by noting how wonderful Pichai's life is, allowing him not to appear before the media constantly. He particularly emphasized that if one needs to remember a name, it is enough to remember only 'Sundar.'
It is important to note that Trump used the word 'monster' not in a negative sense, but as a compliment, emphasizing Pichai's enormous success and influence in the technology industry.
Upon hearing Trump's words, Pichai smiled. He then replied in a joking manner: 'Hopefully a better tagline than I'm a monster.' This brief exchange quickly became a subject of active discussion on social networks, attracting viewers' attention due to Pichai's calm demeanor and Trump's sudden remark.
The most significant aspect of the entire incident is not the humorous conversation between Trump and Pichai, but the meeting where leading global technology companies gathered to discuss the future of AI. The White House meeting discussed the rapid development of AI and the associated risks. Following this, the major technology companies reached an agreement on the voluntary regulation of AI development. This agreement provides for measures such as more rigorous control over their own AI systems, conducting risk assessments, and involving external experts for evaluation.
Sundar Pichai explained that the companies agreed to adopt processes and mechanisms for AI similar to those they use to manage their financial flows. He added that these established methods would also be applied when developing superintelligence.
Another important decision was made during this meeting. The Trump administration decided to use the term 'Super Intelligence' or 'SI' instead of 'Artificial Intelligence' (AI). On September 29, the White House issued an executive order mandating that departments and agencies of the American executive branch use the terms 'Super Intelligence' and 'SI' in official correspondence, wireless communications, reports, and political documents instead of AI. Nevertheless, this does not mean that the word AI has disappeared from global use; this order applies exclusively to the lexicon and communication of the American executive branch.