Some of the biggest proponents of aggressive regulation – including Dario Amodei of Anthropic – were relegated to the far reaches of the table.
PHOTO: DOUG MILLS/NYTIMES

How seating at Trump’s AI luncheon reveals who has the President’s ear

· The Straits Times
  • President Trump's AI luncheon seating revealed who influences his views on artificial intelligence, favouring industry leaders like Elon Musk and Jensen Huang.
  • Some AI proponents calling for strict regulations, like Dario Amodei, were seated far from the president, highlighting industry divisions.
  • Despite differing views, attendees agreed to a safety accord committing to risk policies and external audits for AI systems.

WASHINGTON – There was room for 34 at the table, including President Donald Trump. But the seating chart that Trump posted on social media illustrated growing divisions within the artificial intelligence industry and how it is viewed by the White House.

Some of the biggest proponents of aggressive regulation – including Dario Amodei of Anthropic – were relegated to the far reaches of the table, while Elon Musk of Tesla and SpaceX and Jensen Huang of Nvidia had prominent seats, with each man flanking Trump.