WASHINGTON — Glitz, glamor and geopolitics were on the menu Wednesday night as Washington’s AI elite gathered to mingle and celebrate AI pioneers.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.Complete with a red carpet and a dancing humanoid robot, the event could have been mistaken for a science fiction Hollywood premiere.Even as AI becomes an increasing source of tension in communities across America, the night’s honorees were largely optimistic about the trajectory of AI and its potential impact on society.“AI is a transformative technology that’s going to enable so many advancements, from healthcare to engineering to energy production to security,” Energy Secretary Chris Wright told NBC News as the night kicked off.“I understand people’s concerns about it, but it’s going to be overwhelmingly positive for our society,” said Wright.
“It’s a beautiful event.”Held in the Waldorf Astoria — formerly the Trump International Hotel — steps away from the White House, the Washington AI Honors black-tie gala brought together an eclectic mix of billionaires, elected politicians, industry insiders, lobbyists, administration officials and a handful of scientists to schmooze, snack and exchange information about AI deals and development.The event was organized by the Washington AI Network, a group that runs regular fireside chats with Washington’s AI movers and shakers, and was sponsored by a who’s-who of deep-pocketed tech power players, including Anthropic, Microsoft and Meta.Senior administration officials including Wright, National Cyber Director Sean Cairncross and Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz were present.Many speakers lamented growing public pushback against AI on issues ranging from data center construction to potential AI-caused labor-market disruption, which they said could unfairly obscure AI’s potential benefits.“Unfortunately, ther...