US President Donald Trump made a surprise phone call to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang while the chipmaker's chief was speaking on stage at the All-In Summit in Los Angeles, using the live conversation to dismiss growing concerns over artificial intelligence and claims that AI could eventually take over the world.
Huang was participating in a panel at the summit on Monday when he received the call from Trump. He answered the phone on stage and later put the President on speaker, allowing Trump to address the audience directly.
During the roughly five-minute conversation, Trump rejected fears that robots or AI could take over humanity, calling such concerns a "hoax". He said the United States should not slow down the development of artificial intelligence, arguing that doing so could benefit China in the global technology race.
Trump also defended the rapid expansion of AI data centres, describing them as a major economic opportunity for the US. He compared data centres to "the oil of the next 20–25 years" and said they could bring wealth to communities and states.
"The robots will not be taking over. The AI will not be taking over," Trump said during the call, while adding that the technology should still be developed carefully and prudently.
Trump said AI was bigger than the internet and argued that maintaining US leadership in the technology was critical. "Whoever wins AI wins," he said, emphasising the need for the US to remain ahead of China.
Huang appeared to agree with Trump's position during the conversation and said the industry would work to ensure that the benefits of the AI race reached companies, industries, states and people across America.
The exchange comes amid an intensifying debate in Silicon Valley over the risks posed by increasingly powerful AI systems. Several technology leaders and researchers have recently raised concerns about AI safety and called for stronger safeguards.
Trump, however, has consistently pushed back against calls to slow AI development, arguing that excessive regulation could undermine US competitiveness. His comments during the call with Huang further highlighted the divide between those advocating rapid AI development and those seeking stronger safety measures.
The unexpected on-stage phone call quickly drew attention online, bringing together two of the most prominent figures in the US technology and AI ecosystem in a highly unusual public exchange.
