Trump to Host AI Leaders and Xi Jinping at September 24 State Dinner

A state dinner for Xi Jinping on September 24 has evolved into an AI-focused summit. The event will feature a high-profile guest list from the United States, including Sam Altman, Jensen Huang, Tim Cook, Cristiano Amon, Jamie Dimon, and Jane Fraser.

China has accepted the invitation and requested more than half of the approximately 100 available seats for its own business delegation. Discussions are also underway regarding a potential separate sidelines meeting involving representatives from Meta, Anthropic, Google, and xAI, though these plans remain unfinalized.

The gathering follows recent comments from Trump, who labeled AI safety warnings a hoax and a sick conspiracy on social media. The presence of Jensen Huang is particularly notable, as he, Mark Zuckerberg, and Elon Musk reportedly lobbied Trump against an AI regulator proposal supported by Demis Hassabis just days before the dinner was confirmed.

The event brings together conflicting perspectives on AI development. Sam Altman has previously suggested that a US-China AI safety agreement could be worthy of a Nobel Prize. In contrast, Jensen Huang has advocated for full-speed development without slowing down for the sake of China.

The dinner takes place against a backdrop of ongoing trade tensions. Chinese customs has blocked shipments of Nvidia H200 chips into the country, leading suppliers to pause production on related components.

With chip access, export controls, and AI safety standards all on the agenda, the dinner serves as a venue for high-stakes lobbying. The event effectively turns the geopolitical competition between the two nations into a matter of seating arrangements.