On Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump hosted senior executives from major technology companies at the White House to discuss advancements in artificial intelligence and review the massive investments these giants are making within the United States.

During the meeting, Trump, seated at the center of the table surrounded by what he called “high intelligence owners,” said: “This elevates our country to a new level.”

Focus on Massive Investments

Trump focused on the scale of investments within the U.S., asking attendees about their companies’ spending in the country.

Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Meta, revealed that his company’s investments reached $600 billion.

Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, confirmed that his company’s investments were similar.

Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google, announced their investments totaled $250 billion.

Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, explained that his company invests about $80 billion annually.

Trump praised these figures, saying: “Good, excellent.”

Elon Musk’s Absence and Sam Altman’s Presence

Billionaire Elon Musk, whose relationship with Trump deteriorated earlier this year, was absent from the guest list, while Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI—the competitor to Musk in AI technology development—attended.

The meeting also included notable figures such as Jared Isaacman, founder of Shift4, whose relationship with Trump has been turbulent after Trump withdrew his NASA nomination.

First Lady’s Event and AI Education Committee

The meeting followed an event by the AI Education Task Force chaired by First Lady Melania Trump, who emphasized that “robots have become a reality, not science fiction.”

Leaders from major tech companies participated, including Sundar Pichai (Google), Arvind Krishna (IBM), and Cameron Wilson (Code.org).

Melania said: “We must handle AI responsibly, just as we do with our children, encouraging, guiding, and nurturing.”

Last month, the First Lady launched a national competition for school students to encourage them to use AI to solve community challenges.

Republican Criticism and Proposed Regulations

The meeting sparked divisions within the Republican Party. Senator Josh Hawley criticized big tech companies during a conservative conference, calling for oversight of AI systems.

Hawley said: “The government must examine all advanced AI systems to understand what these companies are planning.”

Trump’s Use of AI-Generated Content

Despite previous criticisms, Trump widely uses AI-generated images and videos to spread his messages online, including satirical and political images that have sparked widespread controversy.