US Invites Nvidia, OpenAI CEOs to Xi Jinping Dinner Amid AI Race

White House spokesperson said on Friday that the administration will host a state dinner for Chinese President Xi Jinping on May 26, 2026, and has extended invitations to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and OpenAI chief Sam Altman.

Also on the guest list are Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, SpaceX and Tesla chief Elon Musk, Apple head Tim Cook and Google CEO Sundar Pichai. Their presence underscores the centrality of AI in the bilateral talks, as the United States and China battle for supremacy in the field.

Washington has long tried to curb China’s AI gains with export controls on advanced chips, blocking access to Nvidia‑made semiconductors. Yet Chinese officials say they are closing the gap fast, and the upcoming meeting may force a reckoning over safety and regulation.

Industry voices warn that the technology could pose existential threats, with former Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon describing how developers "earnestly believe it could kill us all by the end of the decade." President Trump dismissed AI fears as a hoax, urging companies to push ahead. The dinner is expected to launch negotiations, with a joint statement on AI policy anticipated by June 10.