Modi’s AI Summit Shows OpenAI‑Anthropic Rift as CEOs Skip Hand‑Raise
Updated (2 articles)
Summit Purpose and High‑Profile Attendance: On February 20, 2026 Prime Minister Narendra Modi convened the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, inviting leaders from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google and other firms to discuss building inclusive, multilingual AI; thirteen tech CEOs took the stage, with Sam Altman positioned to Modi’s left and Sundar Pichai to his right [1][2].
Hand‑Raising Incident Highlights Rivalry: When Modi asked the group to raise their hands in a chain, all participants linked hands except OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, who stood side‑by‑side for several seconds before replacing the gesture with fists, creating a viral visual of their rivalry [1][2].
Altman’s Explanation and Anthropic Silence: In a Moneycontrol interview Altman said he was “confused, like when (Modi) grabbed my hand and put it up,” indicating no deliberate snub, while Anthropic declined to comment on the episode when approached by reporters [1][2].
Historical Context of Competition: Amodei left OpenAI in 2021 to launch Anthropic, emphasizing AI safety; OpenAI released ChatGPT in late 2022, and Anthropic introduced Claude in 2023, establishing divergent product strategies that have fueled public rivalry [1][2].
Recent Commercial Clash Reinforces Tension: Earlier in February Anthropic aired Super Bowl commercials mocking OpenAI’s ad‑supported ChatGPT tiers; Altman responded on social media calling the ads “dishonest,” underscoring contrasting revenue models—Claude sold to businesses versus ads for free‑user ChatGPT [1][2].
Sources
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1.
The Hindu: Modi’s AI Summit Highlights Tense Moment Between OpenAI and Anthropic Leaders: Details the summit’s inclusive AI agenda, the hand‑avoidance incident, Altman’s confusion, Anthropic’s silence, and the backdrop of a Super Bowl ad battle .
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2.
AP: Altman and Amodei’s Awkward Moment Highlights AI Rivalry at India Summit: Mirrors the Hindu’s coverage, emphasizing the hand‑raising mishap, Altman’s interview, Anthropic’s non‑response, and the historical and commercial rivalry context .
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Timeline
2021 – Dario Amodei leaves OpenAI and founds Anthropic, positioning the new firm around AI safety and setting the stage for a rivalry with OpenAI [1][2].
Late 2022 – OpenAI launches ChatGPT, establishing a dominant consumer‑facing large‑language model that later adopts an ad‑supported tier [1][2].
2023 – Anthropic releases Claude, targeting enterprise customers and cementing its competing business model to OpenAI’s [1][2].
Feb 2026 (early month) – Anthropic airs Super Bowl commercials mocking OpenAI’s ad‑supported ChatGPT; Sam Altman responds on social media, calling the ads “dishonest” and highlighting the commercial clash [1][2].
Feb 19, 2026 – Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosts the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, convening CEOs of OpenAI, Anthropic, Google and others to pledge development of inclusive, multilingual AI [1][2].
Feb 19, 2026 – During a group hand‑raising ritual, all 13 tech leaders link hands except OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, who stand side‑by‑side for several seconds before replacing hand contact with fists, creating a viral visual of their rivalry [1][2].
Feb 19, 2026 – In a Moneycontrol interview, Altman says he “didn’t know what was happening,” describing his confusion as “like when (Modi) grabbed my hand and put it up,” indicating no deliberate snub [1][2].
Feb 19, 2026 – Anthropic declines to comment on the hand‑avoidance incident, leaving its perspective unrecorded in summit coverage [1][2].