At the India AI Impact Summit on February 19, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei found themselves standing side by side for a group photo with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The moment produced a telling image: when the group linked hands for the photo, Altman and Amodei opted instead to raise their fists — avoiding direct contact with each other.
A Small Moment, A Big Symbol
The photo op was a minor incident in a packed summit agenda, but it captured something real about the state of the AI industry. Altman and Amodei have a complicated history — Amodei was VP of Research at OpenAI before leaving to found Anthropic, taking several key researchers with him. The two companies are now direct competitors racing to build the most capable AI systems — a rivalry sharpened by recent events like Anthropic accusing Chinese firms of distilling Claude's capabilities.
Their body language at the summit reflected the intensity of that rivalry in a way that press releases and earnings calls don't.
Why India?
Both CEOs were in India to court one of the world's largest potential AI markets. India's combination of a massive developer population, growing enterprise tech sector, and government interest in AI adoption makes it a strategic priority for both companies.
Key announcements from the summit included:
- OpenAI pledged to expand access to its API for Indian developers and announced partnerships with Indian educational institutions
- Anthropic discussed plans for localized AI safety research and enterprise partnerships in the Indian market
- PM Modi emphasized India's ambition to become a global AI hub while maintaining a balanced approach to regulation
The Competitive Landscape
The Altman-Amodei dynamic is emblematic of the broader AI industry, where former colleagues and collaborators now lead competing organizations:
- Amodei left OpenAI to start Anthropic over disagreements about safety practices
- Multiple researchers have moved between the major labs
- The competition for talent, compute, and market share has intensified dramatically
Despite the rivalry, both companies are also part of shared safety initiatives — including the UK AI Safety Institute's Alignment Project announced the same week. Though OpenAI has recently removed "safety" from its mission statement, raising questions about whether such collaboration will continue. The relationship is simultaneously competitive and collaborative, which makes moments like the India photo op all the more entertaining.
India's AI Ambitions
Beyond the CEO drama, the summit highlighted India's serious investment in AI infrastructure. The government announced expanded funding for AI research centers, new compute clusters for academic institutions, and streamlined regulations for AI startups. India is positioning itself as a key player in the global AI ecosystem, and both OpenAI and Anthropic want to be part of that story.
