The Census Bureau's business survey now asks about "Super Intelligence" instead of AI. Wording changes like this can make adoption trends hard to compare.
The U.S. Census Bureau's regular business survey no longer says "AI." Since the October 19, 2026 collection, it asks about "Super Intelligence," or "SI," because of Executive Order 14434, according to the survey's about page. Writer Simon Willison spotted the change while updating a chart of AI use among US companies.
The survey is called the Business Trends and Outlook Survey. It goes out every two weeks to 200,000 of the 1.2 million US businesses. The groups rotate, so each business answers only once every twelve weeks. The new question asks about "Super Intelligence or SI (formerly referred to as Artificial Intelligence or AI)." Its examples include SI-powered data analysis and virtual SI agents for customer service.
The question was already reworded in late 2025. Before November 17, 2025, it asked whether a business used AI "in producing goods or services." The Bureau announced on December 3, 2025 that it would ask about use "in any of its business functions." Answers before and after that date are not directly comparable.
A chart from Apollo Global Management in September 2025 appeared to show AI adoption slowing at large companies, using these Census numbers. Since then the question has been widened and now renamed. A line on a chart can look like growth or decline partly because of what was asked. The material does not say how much of the rise comes from real adoption and how much from the broader question.
The latest numbers, published October 22, 2026, still use the old AI wording. The first results with the Super Intelligence wording are due on Thursday. Whether the new language changes how businesses answer is an open question. Businesses last saw the question twelve weeks ago, when it said AI. The new version does spell out "formerly referred to as Artificial Intelligence or AI," which may help avoid confusion.
When a headline claims AI use is rising or falling, check whether the survey question changed, because new wording can move the numbers on its own.
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