Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined global leaders on February 19 at the AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi, presenting a shared and inclusive vision for unlocking the full potential of artificial intelligence.
While speakers underscored the importance of cooperation and collective responsibility, a subtle on-stage moment drew attention. Sam Altman and Dario Amodei — whose companies have increasingly found themselves in competition — stood alongside each other but did not clasp hands during a symbolic gesture involving other leaders.
Altman and Amodei shared the stage with Modi and other technology executives, including Sundar Pichai.
In a subsequent interview with Moneycontrol, Altman said he was uncertain about what was expected during the moment. “I didn't know what was happening on stage. I wasn't sure what we were supposed to be doing,” he remarked.
Amodei founded Anthropic in 2021 after leaving OpenAI, reportedly citing disagreements over the direction of AI development, particularly concerning safety and commercialization.
Tensions between the two AI leaders reportedly escalated earlier this month after claims that Anthropic had spent millions on advertisements during the National Football League championship game, criticising OpenAI’s reported plans to introduce advertising on ChatGPT. The episode marked one of the most visible public confrontations between major artificial intelligence firms to date.
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