--- title: "Secretive Meeting of World Elites Discussing AI" description: "World elites are converging in Lisbon this weekend for the Bilderberg Meeting, where AI is reportedly at the very top of the agenda." date: "2023-05-19" modified: "2023-05-19" authors: - name: "Maggie Harrison Dupré" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/mharrison" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/secretive-meeting-discussing-ai" categories: - "Artificial Intelligence" tags: - "ai" - "OpenAI" - "politics" - "the digest" --- # Secretive Meeting of World Elites Discussing AI ![World elites are converging in Lisbon this weekend for the Bilderberg Meeting, where AI is reportedly at the very top of the agenda.]() *\Image: Getty / Futurism\* ## Room Where It Happens There's a party going down in Lisbon, Portugal — and sorry, but you probably aren't invited. As [*CNBC* reports](), 130 of the world's "business and political" elites are converging in Lisbon this week for the annual Bilderberg Meeting. While *CNBC* makes a big deal out of pointing out that "artificial intelligence will top the agenda" — which is technically true — we couldn't help but notice the list of topics appeared in alphabetical order, guaranteeing the letters "AI" to be in top position. Top priority or not, it's probably unsurprising to hear that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman — who just made his first appearance in front of US Congress, where he discussed AI regulation with lawmakers on Capitol Hill — is on the guest list, as is Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, DeepMind head Demis Hassabis, and former Google CEO Eric Schmidt. That's more or less all we know about the secretive meeting, a cabal of tech luminaries and political juggernauts, where AI may well be the topic du jour. But don't get your hopes up. These are discussions that us peasants will likely never hear about. Oh, to be a fly on the wall. ## Booked and Busy But that said, the fact that AI is even on the docket for these leaders feels pretty significant. For context, [last year]() geopolitical realignments related to the Russian invasion of Ukraine topped the list. For AI to take precedence over a still-ongoing war — at least in the media's coverage of the event — is a big deal. Founded in 1954, this will be the 69th Bilderberg Meeting, a conference that was originally established to, as a [press release]() for the event put it, "foster dialogue" between Europe and North America. On the political side, former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba are also invited. Elsewhere, tech investor and OpenAI cofounder Peter Thiel is said to be joining in on the Bilderberg fun, as is Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla. But before you put your tin foil hat on, there will be no lizard people or Illuminati in attendance. Just a good ol' congregation of our planet's most powerful people, discussing how to best lead us normies towards salvation in light of the impending singularity. "The Bilderberg Meeting is a forum," reads the event's hilariously vague press release, "for informal discussions about major issues." In any case, congrats to Sam Altman, who has officially given his first congressional testimony *and* attended his first Bilderberg Meeting — all in one week! Booked and busy. **More on AI:** [*Scientists Train New AI Exclusively on the Dark Web*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've reported extensively on the rise of AI as a cultural and business force shaping the media industry, and more broadly how those dynamics are changing how we all consume and share information and relate to one another. I'm also fascinated by public health policy and ethics, the role of emerging tech in politics and governance — and the powerful people and forces at those intersections — climate change, and the environment. My investigation on Sports Illustrated's use of AI-generated authors with fictional biographies won a 2024 Mirror Award for "Best Story on Media Coverage of Artificial Intelligence in Journalism and the Media" from Syracuse University's SI Newhouse School, I contributed to Niemen Lab's 2025 Predictions for Journalism series, and I've discussed my work for Futurism during appearances on NPR, CNN, the BBC, the CBC, and more. I grew up in rural Pennsylvania and attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where I played Division I field hockey for the Minutewomen as a midfielder. Since then, I've lived in New Orleans, Louisiana and Manhattan, New York. I spend my free time running, reading, perusing archival fashion, and searching for the world’s best negroni. I also have a debonair tuxedo cat, Westley, who's named after "The Princess Bride." ### Author social links [Bluesky]()