The visual shorthand for the current “AI Cold War” played out in real-time this morning at the India AI Impact Summit 2026. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi stood at the center of a group photo intended to project global unity, the CEOs of OpenAI and Anthropic—Sam Altman and Dario Amodei—made headlines for what they didn’t do: hold hands.
The Viral Moment at Bharat Mandapam
During the high-profile “family photo” session at New Delhi’s Bharat Mandapam, PM Modi held the hands of Sundar Pichai (Google) and Sam Altman (OpenAI), encouraging the group to raise their hands in a show of collective progress.
The plan hit a literal snag when Altman and Amodei, standing side-by-side, chose not to link up. Instead of the traditional joined-hand raise seen with other world leaders on stage, both CEOs raised independent fists in the air, creating a visible break in the human chain.
Why the Tension?
The awkwardness isn’t just about corporate competition; it’s deeply personal and ideological.
- The 2021 Split: Dario Amodei was formerly the VP of Research at OpenAI. He famously quit in 2021—alongside his sister Daniela and several senior researchers—due to “directional differences” with Altman.
- Safety vs. Speed: Amodei founded Anthropic with a “safety-first” philosophy, fearing that OpenAI was moving too fast toward commercialization at the expense of AI alignment.
- Recent Escalation: Just two weeks ago, on February 5, 2026, the rivalry turned “nuclear” when both companies launched their most advanced coding models (GPT-5.3 Codex and Claude Opus 4.6) within 15 minutes of each other.
Social Media Reaction
The clip quickly trended on X (formerly Twitter), with tech enthusiasts labeling it “classic AI cold war vibes.” Memes compared the duo to rival siblings being forced to take a photo at a wedding.
| CEO | Company | Stance at Summit |
| Sam Altman | OpenAI | Praised India as the fastest-growing market for Codex. |
| Dario Amodei | Anthropic | Emphasized the responsibility of companies regarding autonomous AI behavior. |
The summit, themed Sarvajan Hitay, Sarvajan Sukhay (Welfare and Happiness for All), continues through February 21, though the focus has momentarily shifted from policy to the palpable friction between the architects of the future.