US President Donald Trump welcomed a distinguished group of technology executives, including Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and Google CEO Sundar Pichai, at the White House, stating that this "high IQ group" is spearheading a transformation in the business sector.
"The most brilliant individuals are assembled around this table. This is undoubtedly a high-IQ group, and I take great pride in them," Trump remarked, positioned at the center of a lengthy table, flanked by First Lady Melania Trump, Microsoft co-founder and billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates on one side, and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg on the other.
Following his opening statements, Trump encouraged the technology leaders present at the table to express their insights.
“It's an honour to be here with this group of people. They're leading a revolution in business and in genius and in every other work you can imagine,” Trump said
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In his brief comments, Pichai said that the “AI moment is one of the most transformative moments any of us has ever seen or will see in our lifetimes. So making sure the US is at the forefront.” Pichai said the Trump administration is investing a lot in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and termed the ‘AI Action Plan’, unveiled in July by the White House, as a “great start”.
“We look forward to working together. And thanks for your leadership,” Pichai said to Trump. “Great job you're doing. Incredible, really,” Trump told Pichai.
Addressing Nadella, Trump remarked that the Microsoft CEO "has performed quite well" and noted that he possesses Microsoft shares that have increased in value from USD 28 to more than USD 500.
Nadella thanked Trump “for bringing us all together” and for the policies he has put in place for the US to lead in the sector.
Nadella expressed gratitude to Trump for "uniting us all" and for the policies he has implemented that enable the US to take the lead in the sector. He emphasized that the uniqueness of the industry is not solely due to innovation, but also because of the market access that you (Trump) have clearly advocated for us globally, as well as the confidence that the world places in American technology.
The Microsoft chief also expressed gratitude to the First Lady for “hosting what I think is perhaps the most defining issue, which is about skilling and economic opportunity that comes with AI.” Trump lauded Nadella, saying, “A really amazing job you've done.”
Trump inquired of Pichai regarding Google's investment in the US, to which the CEO, originally from India, responded that the company plans to invest $250 billion in the country over the next two years.
Subsequently, the President questioned Nadella about Microsoft's investment strategies in the US, to which the tech leader from Hyderabad indicated that the company is allocating approximately $75-80 billion annually in the US.
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Later, while addressing inquiries from the media at the event, Trump reiterated his assertion that he has "settled" seven wars, although he did not specify the conflicts by name.
Among the dignitaries present at the White House dinner were Google founder Sergey Brin, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and Oracle CEO Safra Catz.