Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and other technology executives privately questioned Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei over his public warnings about the risks of artificial intelligence. According to a Wall Street Journal (WDJ) report, the discussion took place on September 29 after nearly two dozen CEOs met Trump for lunch and agreed to a set of voluntary principles for safer AI development. During the luncheon, tech executives including Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang reportedly asked Dario Amodei why he was being so extreme in public about AI capabilities and the risks they could create. Amodei defended his position, saying it was important to be honest with the public and not play down the risks.Jensen Huang has pushed back against AI warnings saying: “Don’t think for a second just because you’re an alarmist that you’re doing a social good. It is not true. I think that we ought to just all be wiser, more mature, be evidence based, be scientific”.
Why Jensen Huang questioned Dario Amodei
The private discussion highlights a growing difference among major AI companies over how quickly the technology should develop and how much attention should be given to its risks.Dario Amodei has repeatedly warned about the possible dangers of advanced AI, including cyberattacks and large-scale job losses. He has also criticised the White House and some technology companies for playing down those risks.At Tuesday’s meeting, Amodei told other executives that the public should be given an accurate picture of what AI models can do and the risks they pose, according to people familiar with the discussion cited by the WSJ.
Tech CEOs agree to safety principles
Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson brought the AI executives together as pressure grows over the safety of increasingly capable AI systems. The companies agreed to work with independent auditors and establish stronger internal controls to check whether their AI systems operate as intended. They also agreed to work to prevent AI tools from hacking or accessing technical systems in unintended ways.The agreement came after reports of AI agents behaving unexpectedly and accessing other systems, adding to calls for stronger safety testing.Mark Zuckerberg also pushed back against Dario’s AI warningsMeta CEO Mark Zuckerberg also responded to Amodei’s concerns during the lunch, according to the WSJ. Mark Zuckerberg reportedly argued that the best way to address the concerns was for the industry to follow through on the safety principles being developed.
