Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei walked into the White House this week for a high-level meeting on artificial intelligence, at a time when tensions between his company and the US government had only recently begun to ease. The discussion, described by officials as “productive and constructive,” focused on how the government and AI companies can work together on fast-evolving technologies. But just hours later, when asked about the visit, US President Donald Trump appeared unaware of it, responding with a brief “Who?” before adding that he had “no idea”, per a CNBC report.
White House meeting signals shift in tone
Dario Amodei met with White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and other senior officials, including US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, to discuss Anthropic’s new AI model, Mythos. The system is designed to detect security flaws in software and is being rolled out to a limited group of companies under a cybersecurity initiative.In a statement, the White House said the meeting explored ways to balance innovation with safety. Officials and Anthropic representatives also discussed possible collaboration, including shared approaches to managing risks linked to advanced AI systems.The meeting marks a notable shift from just weeks ago, when relations between the Trump administration and Anthropic had sharply deteriorated. The government had labelled the company a national security risk and ordered federal agencies to stop using its technology, though that directive is currently blocked in court.Amodei’s visit suggests both sides may now be trying to rebuild ties. Anthropic said the discussion focused on shared priorities such as cybersecurity, maintaining US leadership in AI, and ensuring responsible development of the technology.The backdrop to the meeting is a broader debate over how AI tools should be used, especially in defence and surveillance. Earlier talks between Anthropic and the Pentagon had stalled over disagreements on whether its models could be used for autonomous weapons or large-scale monitoring.Despite those tensions, Anthropic’s technology continues to be part of ongoing government discussions, and its latest model has drawn attention from policymakers and financial leaders alike. The latest meeting indicates that, even as disagreements remain, both the company and the US government are moving toward renewed engagement.
