President Donald Trump welcomed America’s top technology leaders to a special dinner at the White House on Thursday. The discussion centered on artificial intelligence and investment in the United States.
More than a dozen CEOs joined the event, including Bill Gates, Tim Cook, Mark Zuckerberg, and Sundar Pichai. Trump, seated between First Lady Melania Trump and Zuckerberg, asked each executive to share details of their company’s investments in the country.
The guest list also highlighted the growing influence of Indian Americans in technology. Microsoft’s Satya Nadella, Google’s Sundar Pichai, Micron’s Sanjay Mehrotra, TIBCO chairman Vivek Ranadive, and Palantir’s Shyam Sankar all attended the high-profile dinner.
The dinner was originally planned in the Rose Garden but was relocated to the State Dining Room due to inclement weather. The White House also hosted the first meeting of its Artificial Intelligence Education Task Force, chaired by First Lady Melania Trump.
One notable absence was SpaceX chief Elon Musk. Reports initially suggested he might have been left out, but Musk later clarified he was invited and could not attend, adding that a representative joined in his place. A White House official, however, stated that Musk was not on the official invitation list. The dinner underscored the White House’s focus on strengthening ties with the technology sector as artificial intelligence reshapes industries worldwide.
