From TechCrunch · Connie Loizos · · 1m 30s
Jensen Huang, Trump, and a foldable phone
A live on-stage call with the president turned into an AI safety pep rally, and a correction about the phone in Huang's hand.
In brief
A live on-stage call with the president turned into an AI safety pep rally, and a correction about the phone in Huang's hand. When the CEO whose chips depend on AI demand calls AI fear a hoax, read the incentive before the argument. Originally reported by TechCrunch.
Trump calls, live on stage
At the All-In conference in L.A. on Monday, President Trump phoned Jensen Huang while he was on stage. Huang, in his alligator leather jacket, took the call in front of the crowd.
The phone was the tell
Someone handed Huang a foldable to answer. TechCrunch first called it an Apple iPhone Duo, then corrected the piece: it appears to be a Samsung Galaxy Fold 8.
AI fear as a hoax
On speaker, the talk turned to AI safety. Trump framed mounting worry about the technology as a "hoax," and Huang did not push back.
“Did you hear that? Thousands of people are clapping”
Who benefits from panic
Trump argued the real winners of AI fear are China and "political people." His case against slowing down: the technology is simply too large to stall.
“bigger than the internet”
Follow the share price
Nvidia's business runs on AI labs buying more chips, so downplaying existential risk is the only move that protects the stock. Whether Huang believes it is unknowable.
The stock still wobbled
Nvidia is up 33% over the past year, but shares slipped a few percentage points on the day of the call. Cheerleading does not always move the market your way.
The headline
When the CEO whose chips depend on AI demand calls AI fear a hoax, read the incentive before the argument.
