New Delhi – A flurry of investment pledges from American tech giants, including OpenAI, Anthropic, and Meta, are being announced this week during a global AI summit in India, a move that underscores Washington’s efforts to counter Beijing’s influence in the rapidly developing artificial intelligence landscape.
The U.S. Delegation, led by White House tech policy director Michael Kratsios, is making a significant show of force at the summit, contrasting with a smaller presence from China, hampered by the timing of the event coinciding with Chinese New Year celebrations. The contrast highlights a strategic push by the U.S. To solidify its position as a key partner for India in the AI sector.
Undersecretary of Commerce for International Trade William Kimmitt described the summit as “an essential opportunity and a strong showing for the U.S. Government,” emphasizing the administration’s commitment to fostering the success of AI technologies globally. The investments, totaling billions of dollars, are intended to bolster India’s AI infrastructure and capabilities.
The summit’s timing presents a notable diplomatic wrinkle. President Donald Trump is scheduled to hold the inaugural meeting of his Board of Peace in Washington on Thursday, the same day Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in New Delhi. This scheduling conflict has already impacted attendance, with former U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair withdrawing his participation.
Blair’s feel tank, the Tony Blair Institute, has adjusted its speaker lineup to include former U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, an advisor to Microsoft and Anthropic, and former U.K. Finance Minister George Osborne, managing director at OpenAI. This shift underscores the high-level interest and involvement of prominent figures with ties to leading AI companies.
Meanwhile, the European Union is attempting to balance its regulatory ambitions with a desire to attract investment. Recent months have seen the implementation of the EU’s AI law alongside a “simplification package” designed to ease concerns from European companies that the regulations were overly burdensome. EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen, representing the Commission at the summit, will “emphasize the EU’s ambition to accelerate AI deployment, scale innovation and work with trusted partners such as India to ensure AI remains human-centric, secure and aligned with democratic values,” according to a statement from the Commission’s tech department.
OpenAI, in November 2025, reportedly requested that the Trump administration expand the Chips Act tax credit to include data centers, according to reporting by TechCrunch. This request suggests a desire for further government support to offset the substantial costs associated with developing and operating AI infrastructure. The company’s CEO, Sam Altman, previously stated that OpenAI is not seeking a government bailout, following concerns raised about the company’s debt and potential reliance on taxpayer funding.
The Trump administration has also been focused on the energy consumption of data centers powering AI services, seeking commitments from companies like Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and Meta to address potential strains on electricity grids and water supplies. Microsoft has already agreed to pay more for electricity, cover infrastructure costs, and forgo local tax breaks, setting a precedent for the broader compact the administration is seeking with other tech firms.
The administration’s actions come as concerns grow about the potential for AI companies to develop into “too sizeable to fail,” and the possibility of taxpayers being forced to bail them out. The situation is further complicated by the ongoing efforts of the Trump administration to restrict immigration, which some observers believe is inadvertently fueling an AI boom in India, as skilled workers seek opportunities elsewhere, as reported by YouTube channel reports on January 30, 2026.
