AI safety has become a focal point ahead of Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s upcoming visit to Washington. Semafor has confirmed that Sam Altman, chief executive of OpenAI, will attend the state dinner President Donald Trump is hosting on Sept. 24. Reports have also named Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of Nvidia, and Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, as attendees.
There are ongoing discussions about a separate White House meeting with AI company CEOs connected to the visit. House Majority Leader Mike Johnson referenced such a meeting, but a spokesperson for the Speaker declined to provide further details.
The presence of top industry figures coincides with heightened debate over how the United States and China should handle AI risks and regulation. In recent days, officials from both countries have expressed skepticism toward stricter regulation. President Trump has argued the United States must stay ahead of China in AI development, framing that strategic imperative as a reason to avoid imposing guardrails. Chinese officials criticized an essay by Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei about regulation, calling it "fearmongering."
Earlier reporting from Axios said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was open to discussing "shared risks" around AI during his meeting with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in New York City this weekend, which could help set the stage for the Trump–Xi summit. The White House declined to comment on the matter.
The role of industry leaders and political officials at these gatherings could influence whether the two countries move toward cooperative approaches to AI safety or let strategic competition limit regulatory progress.
What matters and when
- Date: The state dinner is scheduled for Sept. 24.
- Attendees: Sam Altman (OpenAI), Jensen Huang (Nvidia), Tim Cook (Apple) — attendance has been confirmed or reported by news outlets.
- Stakes: Absent binding agreements, the meetings will be a signal of how the U.S. and China approach shared AI risks while publicly expressing skepticism about rapid regulation.
The outcomes of the state dinner and any adjacent White House discussions will be watched for indications of whether major AI companies and national leaders can find common ground on managing the technology’s risks.
