The U.S. Census Bureau and "Super Intelligence" (simonwillison.net)

The U.S. Census Bureau has released updated data on corporate AI adoption, revealing significant changes influenced by new survey language. In the latest Business Trends and Outlook Survey (BTOS), companies are now asked whether they use "Super Intelligence" (SI) in their business functions, expanding the scope from the previous focus solely on producing goods and services. This wording change, made effective from November 2025, has led to a notable increase in reported AI adoption among large corporations, from 12% in September 2025 to 40% by October 2026. This shift from asking about traditional AI to SI, which encompasses advanced applications such as generative modeling and SI-powered data analysis, is significant for the AI/ML community as it may redefine perceptions and metrics of AI integration in businesses. The implications of such changes raise questions about the clarity and comparability of the data over time, as businesses may find the new terminology confusing. The forthcoming results reflecting this newly defined SI question are anticipated to provide deeper insights into how businesses are harnessing advanced AI technologies across their operations.