Modi’s AI Unity Pose Turns Awkward for Altman and Amodei

At India’s high-profile AI Impact Summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tried to create a symbolic moment by bringing global tech leaders together — literally.

As world-class AI executives lined up for a group photo, Modi nudged them to raise and join hands as a show of unity for the future of artificial intelligence. Most went along. But two didn’t.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei stood side-by-side and conspicuously didn’t link hands. Instead, they raised their fists in the air — a small gesture that instantly went viral.

At first glance, it looked like a simple misstep in choreography. But it quickly became something much bigger: a live visual of the simmering rivalry between the two most influential figures in frontier AI today.

The awkward pose wasn’t staged. Altman later admitted he was uncertain about what he was expected to do on stage. That uncertainty itself tells you something — these aren’t just tech leaders at a summit anymore; they’re rivals in a very public, very lucrative war for AI dominance.

And the backstory adds layers: Amodei left OpenAI to start Anthropic after disagreements over direction and leadership. Since then the two labs have competed fiercely — from model roadmaps to consumer positioning. Their rivalry has even spilled into public campaigns, with each lab satirizing the other’s moves in the AI market.

In a room meant to convey unity, the split between them became the most replayed moment online — showing just how personal and commercial competition has become in AI.

Why It Matters

This was meant to be a unifying photo for a summit that India says will shape the AI future for the Global South.

Instead, it ended up telling a story all its own:

• AI isn’t just about technology anymore — it’s about alliances.

• Leadership optics now move markets, narratives, and perceptions.

• Rivalry is no longer behind closed doors — it’s on the world stage.

In 2026, even a handshake (or the lack of one) has geopolitical weight.