Trump and Xi Dine with AI Leaders; Talks Focus on 'Super Intelligence' Safeguards
President Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping held high-stakes talks at the White House on September 24-25, with AI safety emerging as a centerpiece topic alongside trade and Iran. Silicon Valley's biggest tech CEOs—including Elon Musk, Sam Altman, and Tim Cook—attended a state dinner, underscoring AI's central role in U.S.-China competition and diplomacy.
The Summit's AI Focus
President Donald Trump and Chinese Leader Xi Jinping met at the White House for a high-stakes summit about trade, artificial intelligence and the Iran war. At the White House, President Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping both stressed the importance of discussing AI. It is Xi's first visit to Washington since September 2015.
Tech Leaders at the Table
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg attended a state dinner hosted by President Donald Trump for Chinese President Xi Jinping in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on September 24, 2026. Seated with the U.S. and Chinese presidential couples were Nvidia's Jensen Huang and his wife Lori Huang, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and AMD's Lisa Su, as well as Apple's Tim Cook. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and president Greg Brockman, Google cofounder Sergey Brin and Microsoft boss Satya Nadella were also all on the guest list.
Positioning on AI Governance
President Trump said artificial intelligence will be a "big topic" when he meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping. He is not looking to rock the boat, however, signaling that he likes how the race to dominate AI is going so far. The two sides can continue their dialogue on AI, exchange views on its risks and benefits, and jointly prevent the misuse and abuse of AI, Xi said. "AI must be kept under human control. A people-centered approach should be upheld, and AI should be developed for the positive and for good, so that AI will serve the progress of humanity."
Trade and Diplomatic Framework
China's Commerce Ministry confirmed Thursday that its senior trade negotiators had held their first talks with the U.S. on artificial intelligence. The two sides also discussed plans for reducing tariffs, and extending trade arrangements agreed in Kuala Lumpur last October. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent discussed a "U.S.-China AI dialogue" with his Chinese counterpart, He Lifeng, over the weekend, including a channel for incidents "up to a national security level."
Summit Tone and Expectations
The summit between the Chinese leader and US President Donald Trump was heavy on pomp and praise. China analysts broadly predict the leaders' personal relationship and policy goals will lead to a cautious summit that yields few major deliverables.