Altman and Amodei Snub Unity Gesture at India AI Summit, Sparking Global Speculation

NEW DELHI — A seemingly simple gesture at India’s AI Impact Summit has become a defining image of the modern AI industry’s fractured landscape. During a high-profile group photo opportunity on February 18, 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited leaders of the world’s leading AI firms to join hands in a symbolic show of unity. All executives on stage complied—except Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, and Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, who stood side by side with their arms firmly at their sides, hands deliberately apart.

According to TechBooky, the moment lasted only seconds but was captured by multiple photographers and quickly went viral across social media platforms. The image, showing Modi beaming with arms raised alongside executives from Microsoft, Google, and Indian startups, was starkly contrasted by the two American AI titans standing rigidly apart. The gesture, interpreted by many as a silent snub, has sparked intense speculation about the nature of the rivalry between OpenAI and Anthropic—two firms once aligned in their mission to develop safe artificial intelligence, but now increasingly seen as ideological and strategic competitors.

While neither company has officially commented, insiders familiar with the matter tell TechBooky that tensions have been mounting since Anthropic’s recent pivot toward government and defense contracts, a move that contrasts with OpenAI’s more commercially aggressive posture under Microsoft’s backing. Amodei, known for his cautious, principle-driven approach to AI safety, has publicly criticized OpenAI’s increasing reliance on proprietary models and opaque governance structures. Altman, by contrast, has championed rapid scaling and global adoption—even if it means navigating regulatory gray zones.

The incident occurred amid a broader backdrop of geopolitical tension. India’s AI summit, officially dubbed the ‘Global AI Impact Summit,’ was designed to position the country as a neutral hub for AI governance, attracting leaders from the U.S., EU, Japan, and the Global South. The presence of Prime Minister Modi, who has positioned India as a key player in shaping ethical AI standards, added symbolic weight to the unity gesture. When Altman and Amodei declined to participate, it was not merely a personal slight—it was perceived as a rejection of the very notion of cooperative AI development that the summit sought to promote.

Adding to the intrigue, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, originally slated to speak, withdrew from the summit just days prior, reportedly due to renewed media scrutiny over his past ties to Jeffrey Epstein. While unrelated to the Altman-Amodei incident, Gates’ absence further amplified the sense that the summit had become a stage for the industry’s internal fractures and reputational vulnerabilities.

Analysts note that the moment reflects a deeper cultural divide within the AI sector. Amodei’s Anthropic has consistently emphasized transparency, constitutional AI, and public accountability. OpenAI, while still claiming safety as a core value, has increasingly operated as a venture-backed tech giant, with its charter now under legal and financial pressure. The physical distance between the two CEOs may be the most visible manifestation of this ideological rift.

As the world races toward AGI, the symbolism of this moment cannot be ignored. In an era where AI ethics are increasingly debated in courtrooms and parliaments, the refusal of two of its most influential architects to even hold hands may signal more than awkwardness—it may signal the end of an era of assumed collaboration in AI’s upper echelons.