OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon are among the technology leaders expected to attend US President Donald Trump’s state dinner for Chinese President Xi Jinping at the White House on September 24, according to people familiar with the event.
Their expected presence brings some of the biggest names in the technology industry into a meeting between the US and Chinese leaders, with artificial intelligence and advanced technology likely to feature in the wider discussions.
AI takes centre stage
An OpenAI spokesperson confirmed Altman’s attendance but did not disclose what he plans to discuss at the dinner. The company instead pointed to Altman’s recent comments that Trump and Xi could potentially “earn a Nobel Peace Prize" if they reach an agreement on AI.
Altman has backed calls from Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei for a slowdown in the development of advanced AI systems. He has also said the US and China should work towards common standards for building and testing increasingly capable AI models.
Huang has taken a different position on concerns over the risks posed by advanced AI. The Nvidia chief has described fears that AI could destroy humanity as “hysterical."
Nvidia’s China business in focus
Huang’s presence also comes as Nvidia seeks greater access to the Chinese market for its advanced AI chips. The company’s business in China has been closely tied to broader US restrictions on technology exports, making semiconductor access a potential issue in the wider US-China discussions.
The September 24 summit comes as Washington and Beijing continue negotiations on trade, technology and other areas of bilateral relations. Reuters reported that AI governance and technology restrictions are among the issues expected to be discussed by Trump and Xi.
Tech leaders at Trump-Xi meetings
This is not the first time Trump has brought technology executives into engagements involving Xi. In May, he invited a group of business leaders to accompany him to China for discussions with the Chinese president.
Huang was among those executives and received a last-minute invitation for that trip. The upcoming White House dinner is expected to bring further attention to the role of US technology companies in the broader relationship between Washington and Beijing.