Non-Human Intelligence (NHI)

Non-human intelligence (NHI) is a term Congress wrote into law to describe any sentient, intelligent lifeform that is not human, whatever its nature or origin. The definition is broad on purpose: it covers any such lifeform the federal government has become aware of, or that may be responsible for UAP. It does not limit NHI to extraterrestrials or any single category of being.

Who defined this term and when?

Congress defined NHI as part of a larger UAP disclosure law. The definition appears in a division of the legislation that also created the Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Records Review Board, a body set up to oversee the release of government UAP records.

What does the definition actually cover?

The law covers any sentient, intelligent non-human lifeform, and it sets no limit on "nature or ultimate origin." That means the definition does not assume the lifeform is extraterrestrial, artificial, or anything else specific. It is intentionally open-ended.

What does the definition leave out?

The definition does not cover objects, craft, or technology on their own. Those are handled separately in the legislation under terms like "technologies of unknown origin." NHI refers specifically to lifeforms, not to the things those lifeforms may have made or left behind.

How does the law actually use the term?

The legislation uses NHI in the context of disclosure. One section is titled "Disclosure of recovered technologies of unknown origin and biological evidence of non-human intelligence," which shows the term is tied directly to physical evidence the government may hold. The law treats NHI as something the government could already have awareness of, not just a future possibility.