White House confirms AI summit date for September 24

The White House has confirmed that President Donald Trump will host Chinese President Xi Jinping on September 24 in Washington, D.C., for a meeting widely characterized as an AI summit. While the administration hasn’t officially slapped that label on it, the agenda is expected to revolve heavily around artificial intelligence, marking the first substantive bilateral dialogue on AI during Trump’s current term. The confirmation follows Trump’s announcement in late July, when he revealed Xi’s planned visit and emphasized the growing importance of AI in the relationship between the world’s two largest economies. Setting the table before the main course US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is expected to lead preparatory AI discussions with Chinese counterparts earlier in September, laying the groundwork for what Trump and Xi will ultimately address face-to-face. Reuters reported in late July that the two nations were already planning these preliminary AI talks, suggesting the September 24 date was the product of weeks of behind-the-scenes coordination rather than an impromptu calendar invite. The summit also builds on diplomatic momentum from Trump’s visit to Beijing in May. That trip c...