New global order: AI CEOs as heads of nation-states
TL;DR
At the G7 summit in Évian-les-Bains, CEOs of major AI companies sat visibly alongside heads of government, not merely as lobby guests on the sidelines. Sam Altman, Demis Hassabis, Dario Amodei, Alexandr Wang, Marc Benioff and Mistral CEO Arthur Mensch were folded into diplomatic formats, including bilateral meetings and official-style photos.
Nauti's Take
The G7 table says more than any press release: AI companies have become geopolitical actors. But the staging should not be confused with legitimacy.
A CEO can propose standards, explain safety risks and offer partnerships, but he was not elected. Serious AI policy needs the expertise of these companies without letting them define the limits of their own power.
Briefingshow
AI is no longer just software policy; it is becoming foreign, security and industrial policy. When private labs build models that shape government, defense, research and the economy, power shifts from parliaments and ministries into company headquarters. The real question is not whether states must talk to AI CEOs, but who ultimately sets the rules and carries responsibility.
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