On September 14, while Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang was presenting on stage at the All-In Summit in Los Angeles, he received a phone call from President Donald Trump. Huang did not hesitate to put the call on speakerphone for the entire audience to hear.
“I’m on stage with the besties here,” Huang told Trump, referring to the All-In podcast hosts Chamath Palihapitiya, Jason Calacanis, and White House advisors David Friedberg and David Sacks.
“It’s a Scam”
The call took place shortly after Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei published an essay calling on the AI industry to proactively slow down development. Sam Altman and Elon Musk both publicly supported the stance. But Huang did not, and neither did Trump.
“Let me tell you, it’s all just a scam,” Trump declared over speakerphone. “The data centers are great. They make the people rich, they make the states rich.” He also said that those opposing data center construction are falling into the trap of people who do not want to see the U.S. lead (alluding to China).
Huang replied: “You’re right. We’re not going to let that happen, sir.”
An Increasingly Tight Political-Tech Alliance
This was not the first time Trump and Huang have appeared together, but the phone call marked a moment where the alliance between the administration and the chip industry became clearer than ever. Trump called data centers the oil of the next 20 to 25 years and pledged: “I’m with you all the way.”
Earlier on Truth Social, Trump posted calling those concerned about AI “revolutionaries for a very bad and evil purpose.” He also asserted that no additional AI regulations are needed.
This stance directly contrasts with a recent Gallup poll showing that 70% of Americans oppose data center construction in their local areas, with over 50% concerned about environmental and resource impacts.
Nvidia Clearly Picks a Side
Jensen Huang did not simply agree with Trump on stage; he refused to join Amodei’s “slowdown” initiative from the start. While Altman and Musk voiced public support, Huang maintained the position that the AI industry should not hold itself back.
This places Nvidia in a unique position: both the biggest beneficiary of the AI race and the most influential voice in determining whether the race will hit the brakes.
Regulatory Vacuum
Overall, the divide between the two camps is growing increasingly clear. The “slowdown” camp, including Amodei, Altman, and Musk, calls for third-party evaluations, safety standards, and international coordination. The “move fast” camp, comprising Trump, Huang, and Y Combinator CEO Garry Tan, argues that any delay plays into China’s hands.
With the Trump administration publicly dismissing all concerns, the chances for a federal AI regulatory framework during this term are virtually zero. The largest AI companies are shaping the rules of the game themselves—and whether that amounts to self-regulation or a cartel remains an open question.