White House Correspondents Insider

ASPEN, COLORADO – At the Aspen Ideas Festival in June, three of the sharpest minds in energy, economics, and technology policy were interviewed by Tammy Haddad for a special edition of the Washington AI Network Podcast to tackle a question increasingly on the minds of policymakers, executives, and voters alike for the annual gathering of business leaders, politicos, academics and media.

Moderator Tammy Haddad, founder of the Washington AI Network, opened the session, recorded June 27 by framing the stakes plainly: “Is there a road to broadly shared prosperity with AI?” Lael Brainard, former director of the National Economic Council and former Federal Reserve vice chair; Chris Womack, chairman, president, and CEO of Southern Company; and Benedict Macon-Cooney, Chief Innovation Officer at the Tony Blair Institute – offered three distinct vantage points, but converged on a shared unease: the economic gains from AI are real, but so far concentrated.

Brainard was the most direct. Pointing to what she called the “20/90 rule,” she noted, “Top 20% of American households have 90% of stock market wealth.” Brainard warned that the economy’s current AI-driven strength masks real fragility. “Our economy right now is a little bit fragile,” she said, noting that AI-related investment last year roughly matched the entire normal annual level of U.S. business fixed investment. Left unaddressed, she argued, the dynamic risks repeating the mistakes of the Gilded Age and the China trade shock. “I don’t think AI on its own is going to reduce inequality,” Brainard said. “I think you need institutions and social agreements that condition how AI affects distribution opportunities.”

Womack, whose Southern Company built roughly 50 gigawatts of power last year and plans to build more than 80 additional gigawatts in the coming years, pushed back on the narrative that data centers are squeezing household ratepayers, arguing hyperscale customers are effectively subsidizing everyone else’s bills. Womack was equally emphatic that the technology’s benefits can’t stop at Silicon Valley’s door. “We’ve got to make sure AI benefits all parts of our economy, all parts of our society, and not just the top,” he said, pointing to a planned data center in rural South Alabama as a case study in how AI-driven investment could revive communities left behind by decades-earlier manufacturing losses. “The opportunity I see with the tax investments, with the revenue coming from that data center, can change the life and the economic vitality of that community and all those homeowners.”

Macon-Cooney brought a global lens, arguing most nations will never be able to build frontier AI infrastructure themselves and need to instead focus on adoption and comparative advantage – comparing the choice to buy aircraft from Boeing or Airbus rather than building an aircraft carrier from scratch. On education, he pointed to a pilot AI tutoring program that delivered two years of academic progress in just two months as evidence that the technology’s benefits can reach beyond markets and into everyday life. “An AI tutor for every child,” he touted, “would be the most democratizing and powerful way to transform your education system.”

What emerged from Aspen was less a roadmap than a reckoning. The panelists agreed that the AI boom is real, that its infrastructure demands are staggering, and that its benefits – so far – are flowing disproportionately upward. But they also agreed that none of this is predetermined. Brainard’s warning about the Gilded Age, Womack’s data center empowering rural South Alabama, Macon-Cooney’s AI tutor delivering two years of learning in two months – each pointed to the same underlying truth: the technology is not the policy. AI will not distribute its own gains. That work falls to institutions, governments, and companies to make deliberate choices about who gets to participate in the boom and who gets left behind. In Aspen, at least, the conversation is happening. The question now is whether Washington will catch up before the window closes.

Catch the full episode available now on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Three months after gunfire shattered one of Washington’s most storied traditions, the White House Correspondents’ Dinner is coming back.

The rescheduled dinner will take place on Friday, July 24, at the Waldorf Astoria on Pennsylvania Avenue – a venue with its own complicated Washington history as the former Trump International Hotel – with President Trump expected to attend. White House Correspondents’ Association president and CBS News senior White House correspondent Weijia Jiang announced in a letter to members, framing the decision as much a statement of principle as a scheduling matter.

“This dinner will not only be an opportunity to carry out our program,” Jiang wrote. “It will be a statement that violence has no place in American life and a free press will not be intimidated into silence. As you have all demonstrated, courage and community can and should rise above.”

The original dinner, held April 25 at the Washington Hilton, drew more than 2,500 guests. Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and FBI Director Kash Patel were among those in attendance. It was the first WHCA dinner Trump had attended as president; he skipped both terms of his first presidency and the 2025 event.

Just before 9 p.m., as mentalist Oz Pearlman performed a trick on stage beside Trump and First Lady Melania Trump, chaos broke out. Suspect Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old from Torrance, California, who had been staying as a guest at the hotel, rushed the security checkpoint outside the ballroom armed with a 12-gauge shotgun, a .38 semiautomatic pistol, and multiple knives. One Secret Service officer was struck in his bullet-resistant vest and hospitalized; he later recovered. Allen was arrested outside the ballroom.

Jiang was on stage beside the president when it happened. “It all happened so fast,” she recalled on CBS’s “Face the Nation.” “When I heard something in the audience, I thought it was a protester – something we’re very used to. But then, when I saw SWAT team members come to the head table and say, ‘Down, down, down,’ we were crawling off the stage.”

After the Secret Service swept the principals to safety, Jiang returned to the podium to address the still-assembled crowd, directing guests to leave under law enforcement protocol. Trump, she said, refused to simply disappear into the night. “He really wanted to talk it through,” she said of a private conversation with the president backstage. “He told me that we were not going to be deterred. He refused to stand down, and that’s why he stayed.” Trump went on to deliver a late-night briefing from the White House press briefing room, where he called on Jiang for the first question.

At that briefing, Trump reflected on the strange bond the evening had forged. “This was an event dedicated to freedom of speech that was supposed to bring together members of both parties with members of the press,” he said, “and in a certain way, it did, because of the fact that they just unified.”

Allen was charged with attempting to assassinate the President of the United States, use of a firearm during a crime of violence, transporting a firearm across state lines, and assaulting a federal officer. He pleaded not guilty on May 11. A manifesto attributed to him described his grievances against the Trump administration; he reportedly referred to himself as the “Friendly Federal Assassin.”

Jiang was unambiguous that rescheduling was a deliberate act, not a foregone conclusion. “Rescheduling was not automatic,” she wrote to WHCA members. “It was a choice that the WHCA board made after thoughtful consideration and input from our members. I want to thank board members for the time and care they brought to this decision, particularly on the security front.”

The July 24th event will look different from the traditional dinner. It will be more intimate in scale, with significantly enhanced security measures and new access procedures that Jiang said will be communicated directly to attendees. The WHCA has also fundraised to ensure members who paid for the April event will not have to pay again, and the organization is providing travel support to scholarship and journalism award winners so they can be recognized at the makeup dinner.

Trump announced his own attendance on Truth Social, calling the rescheduling “a sign of Strength and Fortitude” and accepting Jiang’s personal invitation to speak. He also revealed the venue — at the Waldorf Astoria, formerly the Trump International Hotel in the landmark Old Post Office building — before the WHCA had made a public announcement. “I don’t know whether or not I will give the same rather nasty statements, at least as it concerns certain people,” Trump wrote, “but we will soon find out. In any event, it will be a ‘HOT’ ticket!”

The evening has placed Jiang, who has covered the White House for CBS since 2018, at the center of one of the more remarkable stories of a remarkable year. She had spent eight months planning the April dinner, and by her own account, hoped it might restore a measure of normalcy between the press and an administration with which many journalists have had an openly adversarial relationship. When she wrote to members about the rescheduled dinner, Jiang tied the decision explicitly to the broader stakes of the moment. “We will not allow an act of violence to have the last word,” she wrote, “especially during a year when we are reflecting on the 250th anniversary of America and everything we stand for.”

The dinner is set for Friday, July 24.

Fight night energy came to Washington early! Dina Powell McCormick, president and vice chair of Meta; Dana White, president and CEO of UFC; and Joel Kaplan, Meta’s chief global affairs officer, hosted a Freedom 250 reception ahead of this weekend’s UFC fight on the Ned’s Club rooftop Friday night with special guest Ivanka Trump. The evening celebrated “our nation’s heroes” and Meta announced it will give 130,000 AI glasses to blind veterans.
 

Guests included Jared and Arabelle Kushner, Kai Trump, Doug Burgum, Todd Blanche, James Blair, Karoline Leavitt, Dr. Mehmet Oz, Keith Sonderling, Reps. Zach Nunn and Brian Jack, Chris Klomp, Stanley Woodward, Will Scharf, Alex Flemister, Ethan Klein, Ryan Baasch, Seval Oz, Kellyanne Conway, Reince Priebus, Karen Sessions, UK. Amb. Christian Turner, Terry McAuliffe, Adrienne Elrod, UFC fighters Kayla Harrison and Merab Dvalishvili, MacKenzie Dern, the NELK Boys, Josh Holmes, John Ashbrook, Michael Duncan, “Comfortably Smug,” Isabel Brown, Franco Nuschese, Michael Petricone, Tony Sayegh, Teresa Carlson and Maryam Mujica. Media guests included Mike Allen, Shawn McCreesh, Shannon Bream, Pamela Brown, Ed Luce, Robert Costa, Meridith McGraw, Jonathan Karl, Josh Dawsey, Jim VandeHei, Liz Gough, Aidan McLaughlin, Sara Fischer, Cathy Merrill, and Daniel Lippman.

Washington, DC—The Washington AI Network’s second annual AI Honors, Washington’s only black-tie AI gala, drew more than 400 leaders from government, tech, and academia last night to honor seven Americans shaping the future of artificial intelligence (AI). (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for Washington AI Network) 

Here are the 2026 AI Honors Awardees:

• Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) and Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) accepted the Bipartisan Leadership on AI Award presented by actor Michael Kelly
• Entrepreneur Kevin O’Leary—a.k.a. Shark Tank’s Mr. Wonderful—(video interview) received the AI Global Ambassador Award from Ireland’s Ambassador to the United States, Geraldine Byrne Nason
• NVIDIA co-founder Chris Malachowsky received the Founder’s Education Accelerator Award from Washington AI Network founder Tammy Haddad
• Omidyar CEO Michele Jawando (video interview) was presented the Civic Technology Leadership Award by DC Mayor Muriel Bowser
• Major General Patrick J. Ellis, commanding general of the 4th Infantry Division and Fort Carson, received the AI Leadership Award from Army Secretary Dan Driscoll
• Dr. Katherine (Kathy) Yelick (video interview) received the Public Science Award from Dr. Darío Gil who serves as both the Under Secretary for Science at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the Director of the Genesis Mission

The evening featured remarks by the newly appointed papal nuncio, Archbishop Gabriele Caccia; NVIDIA co-founder Chris Malachowsky; Dr. Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services; Secretary of Energy Chris Wright; and entrepreneur Kevin O’Leary. 

“This gathering itself represents something that Pope Leo calls for in his recent encyclical entitled Magnifica Humanitas, a shared document involving many sectors of society. The future of this technology cannot be guided by one field alone. It needs science and policy, business and public service, ethics and faith,” said Archbishop Gabriele Caccia. “From the beginning, at every stage, the development and application of artificial intelligence must be guided by the dignity of the human person and by the common good of the human family.” 

“Energy is what drives progress. It’s what drives innovation. It’s what lifts people’s standard of living up. We need to get our act together with electricity,” said Secretary of Energy Chris Wright. “We’ve tripled our oil production, doubled our natural gas production — but energy in the form of electricity, we’ve barely grown in twenty years. We do not want to hold back this technology or push this technology overseas by not delivering the electricity.” 

NVIDIA co-founder Chris Malachowsky said, “The AI era will give the next generation of students and workers the most powerful tools ever created to learn, build, and discover. And even beyond this, it will help reindustrialize America and shape our next 250 years. But to realize that future, we must empower all to reach their full potential. And it’ll take industry, government, and academia working together to get it right.” 

Making the case that AI hesitation — not AI ambition — is the real threat, Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll said, “The biggest risk to our national security is not moving too fast. It’s not moving fast enough.” 

Entrepreneur and honoree Kevin O’Leary escalated his months-long fight over his proposed Utah data center, accusing China of funding a coordinated disinformation campaign against American energy and AI infrastructure projects — and vowing to press forward regardless. “I’m going to use my voice to fix this,” O’Leary said. “I’d never seen this before. It’s wrong. And as far as Box Elder County is — I’m going to build this data center. I’m going to build it as a shining example of what we can do here in America.”

“When the Secretary of the Army, a cofounder of NVIDIA, a serial entrepreneur, a National Lab director, and the Vatican’s representative to the United States are all on one stage, this is Washington at its best,” said Washington AI Network founder and CEO Tammy Haddad. “The Washington AI Network has been the catalyst for how Washington talks about AI, and last night, it was the moment for celebrating those leading Washington — and the world — into what comes next.”

SPOTTED: Michael Kelly, Ambassador Mike Waltz, Dario Gil, Reps. Steven Horsford (D-NV), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), Ro Khanna (D-CA), Dr. Mehmet Oz, Secretary Dan Driscoll, Chris Klomp, Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason, Jill Hazelbaker Franks, Mayor Muriel Bowser, Aaron Parnas, Shelley Zalis, Elizabeth Falcone, Sevel Oz, Ethan Klein, Helen Milby, Franco Nuschese, Jon Kelly, Arun Gupta, Dmitri Alperovitch and Maureen Hinman, David Ginsberg, Kyle Dropp, Scott Kupor, Ylli Bajraktari, Paras Malik, Alex Flemister, Reema Dodin, Tasia Jackson, Ed Luce, Niamh King, Brian Rice, Jessica Nigro, Olivia Igbokwe, Rohit Chopra, Gerry Petrella, Katelyn Bledsoe, Ned Finkel, Maryam Mujica, Felipe Million, Brian Peters, Missy Owens, Michael Petricone. The event, which was emceed by CNN anchor Pamela Brown, was aired on C-SPAN. Watch the entire AI Honors program on Washington AI Network’s YouTube.

A co-founder who helped build the infrastructure on which the AI revolution runs. A pair of senators who chose collaboration over partisanship when the stakes couldn’t be higher. An entrepreneur who turned his television stardom into a platform for AI advocacy. A commanding general preparing the United States Army for an AI-driven battlefield. A scientist who is making history at one of America’s great national laboratories. And a civic leader who has spent her career making sure these innovations serve everyone. 

On June 3, 2026, the Washington AI Network (WAIN) will honor these extraordinary individuals at the second annual AI Honors Gala, Washington’s only black-tie evening dedicated to American AI excellence at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington, DC. ““The AI Honors bring together the business, policy, and scientific leaders shaping the future of artificial intelligence at the very moment its impact on our economy, security, and daily lives is becoming impossible to ignore,” said Tammy Haddad, the founder of the Washington AI Network.

The honorees include: 

AI GLOBAL AMBASSADOR AWARD

Kevin O’Leary

Known to millions as Shark Tank’s Mr. Wonderful, Kevin O’Leary has put his money — and his megaphone — behind the AI revolution. Honored for his investments in AI implementation, data centers, and the convergence of AI with blockchain and digital payments, O’Leary has also become one of the most visible advocates for AI literacy as the foundation of future job security.

BIPARTISAN LEADERSHIP ON AI AWARD

Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) & Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD)

In a city often defined by division, Senators Warner and Rounds have chosen a different path. Recognized for their sustained, bipartisan leadership in advancing thoughtful AI policy, the two senators have worked across the aisle at a moment of enormous consequence for America’s national security and economic future.

FOUNDER’S EDUCATION ACCELERATOR AWARD

Chris Malachowsky, Co-Founder and Fellow, NVIDIA

NVIDIA co-founder Chris Malachowsky was there at the beginning — helping create the computing architecture that now powers the world’s most advanced AI systems. His landmark investment in AI education at the University of Florida ensures that the next generation won’t just use that infrastructure. They’ll build what comes next.

AI LEADERSHIP IN NATIONAL DEFENSE AWARD

Major General Patrick J. Ellis, Commanding General, 4th Infantry Division and Fort Carson

Major General Patrick J. Ellis has been at the forefront of preparing the United States Army for an increasingly AI-driven world. Honored for his visionary leadership at the intersection of artificial intelligence, operational readiness, and national defense, General Ellis represents a new generation of military leaders who understand that technological advantage and human excellence are inseparable. The award will be presented by Army Secretary Dan Driscoll.

PUBLIC SCIENCE AWARD

Dr. Katherine (Kathy) Yelick, Director, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Dr. Katherine Yelick has spent her career pushing the boundaries of high-performance computing and machine learning. Her historic appointment as the first computer scientist to lead Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in its 90-year history represents a turning point, a powerful signal that AI is no longer simply a tool of science, but central to how science itself gets done.

CIVIC TECHNOLOGY LEADERSHIP AWARD

Michele Jawando, CEO, Omidyar Network

Michele Jawando has spent her career at the intersection of technology, policy and civic engagement with a singular focus: making sure that innovation serves everyone. As CEO of Omidyar Network, she brings that vision to one of the world’s most influential impact-driven organizations.

The 2026 AI Honors builds on the success of last year’s sold-out inaugural gala, which brought together voices from Congress, U.S. national security, scientific institutions, the Vatican, and industry. Year two deepens that commitment: to convene the key leaders across party lines, sectors, and disciplines, at the moment AI’s consequences are impossible to ignore.

2026 GALA SPONSORS

Americans for Prosperity, Anthropic, Amazon, Bloomberg, Booking Holdings, Build American AI, Capital Power, Cohere, Constellation Energy, Flex Association, General Catalyst Institute, General Motors, GlobalWIN, IBM, JPMorganChase, LinkedIn, Microsoft, NobleReach Foundation, NVIDIA, Public Private Strategies Institute, Qualcomm, Salesforce, Scale AI, Silverado Policy Accelerator, Special Competitive Studies Project, TikTok, and Uber.

Artificial intelligence is moving beyond chatbots and into systems capable of taking action — and according to NVIDIA engineers Nader Khalil and Carter Abdallah, that shift is happening faster than most people realize.

During the 75th episode of the Washington AI Network Podcast hosted by Tammy Haddad, Khalil and Abdallah explored the rapid evolution of AI agents, the importance of open-source models, and how everyday users can better understand the technology shaping the future.

The conversation, recorded live at PubKeyDC, brought together two engineers who helped build Brev, the developer platform acquired by NVIDIA in July 2024. Khalil co-founded the company, while Abdallah joined as a founding engineer.

Originally designed to simplify access to NVIDIA GPUs, Brev allowed developers to launch fully configured systems across multiple cloud providers in minutes.

“It focused on connecting a bunch of clouds all in one place,” Khalil explained. “So when we give it to you, it’s just ready to go.”

Abdallah reflected on the uncertainty of joining an early-stage startup.

“How do you know whether it’s going to succeed or not succeed?” he said. “The answer is you don’t.”

A major focus of the discussion centered on the role of open-source AI models and America’s position in the global AI race.

“If there’s a closed source project and you don’t like the direction it’s going, you don’t have a choice,” Khalil said. “If there’s an open source project and you think they’re making a bad decision, you can propose the change — and if that change gets rejected, you can clone it.”

Abdallah highlighted NVIDIA’s Nemotron family of open models, which provide not only model weights, but also training data and architecture, allowing businesses and governments to customize systems for their own needs.

Khalil emphasized the geopolitical significance of maintaining U.S. leadership in AI development.

“If you look at where all the standards have been set, without a doubt, America’s the leader,” he said. “That’s why it’s important that we remain the leader.”

The pair also broke down one of the industry’s buzziest concepts: AI agents.

“When you give an LLM tools, memory, and access to the browser, that ultimately is what an agent is,” Abdallah explained, comparing large language models to the human brain — powerful on their own, but far more capable when connected to systems that allow them to act.

Khalil shared a live example of an AI agent running on a personal NVIDIA DGX Spark system that successfully located and paid his outstanding parking tickets in San Francisco. The agent reportedly attempted 22 different methods to solve an internet CAPTCHA before succeeding, highlighting both the persistence and current limitations of agentic AI systems.

The discussion also touched on “harnesses,” the surrounding infrastructure that enables AI systems to operate more independently.

“The harnesses got so good that you can actually just use them rather than have to build your own agent from scratch,” Khalil said. “That’s why we’re hearing the word agent and the word harness so much.”

Despite the complexity of the technology, both engineers stressed that AI interaction is becoming increasingly intuitive for everyday users.

“Interacting with these models is a different pattern for a lot of people to understand,” Abdallah said. “If it doesn’t work the first time, ask it why. These are more of an iterative process.”

He added that communicating effectively with AI systems relies on a skill most people already have.

“We all speak natural language,” Abdallah said. “You can now use that same skill for these systems.”

The full episode of the Washington AI Network Podcast is available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other podcast platforms.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Two of Washington’s most trusted and tenacious journalists will be recognized at the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner on April 25 at the Washington Hilton — a tribute to reporters who have spent years earning the respect of their peers, their sources, and the public they serve.

“Groundbreaking reporting about the first year of President Trump’s second term” describes the winners of this year’s journalism awards from the White House Correspondents’ Association — and no two names on that list are more synonymous with excellence, integrity, and sheer determination than Josh Dawsey and Kaitlan Collins.

Josh Dawsey, a beloved fixture of Washington political journalism and one of the most well-sourced reporters in the capital, will receive the Aldo Beckman Award for Overall Excellence in White House Coverage for his body of work at The Wall Street Journal during Trump’s second term. Dawsey’s reporting — meticulous, fearless, and relentlessly fair — has set the standard for what White House journalism looks like when it’s done right. In an era when access is weaponized and information is guarded, his ability to break through and deliver a thoughtful, inside perspective to readers is nothing short of remarkable.

Kaitlan Collins of CNN will receive the Award for Excellence in Presidential News Coverage Under Deadline Pressure — Broadcast — an honor she is well-suited to hold. Collins, who also anchors a nightly must-see newscast on CNN, is known for her command of the briefing room, her unflappable presence under fire, and her fierce commitment to asking tough questions, even when — especially when — the answers are unwelcome. In one of the most challenging environments for any journalist, she doesn’t blink.

Both journalists have worked through a period marked by extraordinary pressure on the press — a political climate in which reporters face public attacks, legal threats, and institutional headwinds that would give many pause. Dawsey and Collins have answered that pressure not with retreat, but with consistent, powerful reporting.

Other impressive journalists will be honored at the dinner: AP’s Aamer Madhani and Zeke Miller, Getty Images’ Andrew Harnik, WSJ‘s Khadeeja Safdar, Joe Palazzolo, Sadie Gurman, Annie Linskey, Alex Leary, Rebecca Ballhaus, and C. Ryan Barber, KARE-11, and The New York Times‘ Tyler Pager. In a striking moment of recognition, the WHCA will present The Wall Street Journal with the Katharine Graham Award for Courage and Accountability for its reporting on the infamous birthday letter bearing the president’s name that was reportedly given to Jeffrey Epstein for his 50th birthday. The honor carries even greater weight following a federal judge’s decision earlier this month to toss President Trump’s defamation lawsuit against the Journal over that story — a legal ruling that underscores exactly why the Graham Award exists.

WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 26: (L-R) Joanna Coles, Meredith Whittaker, and David Urban attend the 32nd Annual White House Correspondents’ Weekend Garden Brunch at Beall-Washington House on April 26, 2025, in Washington, DC. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for Haddad Media)

White House Correspondents’ Weekend brings together a cross-section of Washington from government, business, media, and celebrities to celebrate the Freedom of the Press. Of course, one party is not enough. And this year, Washington is once again doing what it does best: compressing an entire social season into one week.

Of course, you want to be in the room, because it’s where a lot of work happens. 

Some events are constant, such as the Annual Saturday Garden Brunch. 

But this year, newcomers are entering the mix! MSNOW breaks onto the scene with a splashy new After-Party hosted in the Dupont Underground, celebrated as “Democracy After Hours.” Puck News will be reimagining the crowded pre-parties with an ultra-exclusive toast ahead of the dinner at a nearby residence. Tech platform Grindr has become one of the hottest tickets in town with its Friday celebration. And the Irish Embassy will be kicking off the week with their newly minted party, “The Green Room.” 

Each day will have a number of events, and we have your definitive field guide to who’s hosting, where to be seen, and when to pace yourself.

Wednesday, April 22: The Soft Launch

The weekend starts with some tone-setting parties to get everyone warmed up. 

The Global Women’s Innovation Network (GlobalWIN) will host their annual “Preface” at a swanky private residence. Hosts include: Keenan Austin Reed, Alethia Jackson, Helen Milby, Tiffany Moore & Symone Sanders-Townsend. You can expect a special toast to Symone and Eugene Daniel’s new podcast. 

The Washington Association of Black Journalists hosts A Toast to Press Freedom at the National Association of Broadcasters.

Across town, Townhall Media gathers a more policy-focused crowd at Trump-world hot-spot, Butterworth’s, to talk AI, crypto, and the 2026 midterms.

Thursday, April 23: The Diplomatic Circuit (and a Few Power Plays)

Thursday is where things accelerate—and where embassies quietly compete for best-in-show.

The Irish Embassy will play host to a newly re-imagined party: “The Green Room.” One of Washington’s favorite Ambassadors, Geraldine Byrne Nason, will join John McCarthy and Stripe’s Eileen O’Mara for this new “fáilte” or “Welcome” to the weekend. 

To celebrate America’s 250th, YouTube has paired up with Meridian International Center, and C-SPAN to lean into history with Diplomacy at 250.

The International Women’s Media Foundation teams up with the Swedish Embassy for Courageous Voices in Journalism. 

NBCUniversal and Comcast convene Common Ground at the beautiful new Washington staple: Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Center.

The annual Washington Women in Journalism Awards will take place at Larz Anderson House, hosted by Gloria Dittus and Washingtonian’s Cathy Merrill. 

The international journalist crowd will gather as the European Union hosts Off the Record at its residence—a magnet for Hill staffers and foreign policy regulars.

Oliver Darcy’s Status Party will once again convene some of the favorite names behind the headlines. 

Friday, April 24: Hollywood comes to the Potomac

Friday is when the pace of Hollywood descending on D.C. really starts to pick up! 

It starts early with the Axios brunch circuit, alongside gatherings from Punchbowl News and MS Now. Pro-Tip: Carb-loading is highly encouraged here. The weekend hasn’t even really begun yet. 

As we head to the afternoon, Meghan McCain, Jessica Reed Kraus, and Vanessa Santos will be hosting cocktails for Renegade Women at the Graham Rooftop. Beehiiv and Shinola will lean into a “celebration of journalism” moment at their Logan Circle space. YouTube hosts some of its top creators at Florería Atlántico. 

And that’s just happy hour.

That evening, Kevin Sheekey and Bloomberg will once again convene their highly coveted dinner to set the tone for the remainder of the weekend with some of the preeminent names in Business, Government Diplomacy, and Media. 

And some of the toughest invites to receive are for the talent agencies that join us in Washington from Hollywood. 

This year, the Creative Artists Agency (CAA) will be co-hosting the Vanity Fair Party at the Belgian Ambassador’s Residence. A new combination that has created a lot of excitement in Washington. 

United Talent Agency will celebrate with its annual late-night party, this year held at Georgetown’s Osteria Mozza. 

Other late-night stops include: Semafor’s house party for media insiders, Motion Picture Association salute to America250, the Australian Embassy’s Celebration alongside DC Modern Luxury Magazine, and The British Ambassador’s reception with Daily Mail. 

Saturday, April 25: The Main Event Orbit

Saturday belongs to tradition, with Tammy Haddad’s garden brunch at the Beall-Washington House kicking things off—a longstanding cornerstone of the weekend. Co-Hosts include Kevin Sheekey, Mark and Sally Ein, David Urban, Franco Nuschese, and Jon Banner. Honorees remain under wraps, but you can count on honoring veterans and military families will remain at the heart of the celebration. 

After Brunch, guests head home to don their tuxedos and prepare for the evening. 

At the Hotel itself, you can expect pre-parties with ABC News, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, CBS News, and Politico, all of which host pre-dinner receptions in overlapping waves.

Breaking into the scene this year is Puck, with Editor Jon Kelly hosting an exclusive pre-party near the Washington Hilton, reimagining the Pre-party experience. 

After the Dinner, you can expect: NBC News at the French Ambassador’s residence and the Swiss Ambassador’s gathering with TIME. 

But the hottest new ticket this year is MS Now’s late-night play at Dupont Underground. You can expect a lot of surprise elements throughout the late-night gathering.

Sunday, April 26: The Wind-Down (Sort Of)

Sunday offers a softer landing, though “soft” is relative.

Allbritton Journalism Institute and Politico host a brunch at Robert Allbritton’s home, while CNN closes things out with a final reception at the British Embassy – and what an exciting day to be there, a day before the arrival of the King!

This year, DC’s Members-only Hot-spot, Ned’s Club, will partner up with AirMail and 101 Studios– the studio behind the hit TV show “Yellowstone.” If you’re still standing, this will be a party to be at!

The Takeaway

What used to be a dinner is now an ecosystem of media, politics, tech, and diplomacy, each staking a claim on the same few square miles of Washington. All of this is done to strengthen the relationships amongst the correspondents themselves and the people who are covered. 

Washington – While there will not be a comedian performing at this year’s The White House Correspondents’ Association dinner on April 25th, the acclaimed mentalist Oz Pearlman will headline the 2026 White House Correspondents’ Dinner. He will introduce a new style of entertainment to Washington’s most recognized annual gatherings. The selection reflects a continued evolution of the event, which brings together journalists, policymakers, and media leaders to celebrate the role of a free press and the First Amendment.

Pearlman, recently featured on 60 Minutes, is an Emmy Award-winning entertainer known for his interactive performances that blend psychology, memory, and illusion. His selection represents a shift from traditional stand-up comedy to a format designed to engage audiences in a shared experience centered on curiosity and surprise.

“As the world’s most celebrated mentalist, Oz Pearlman will offer a fascinating glimpse into what’s truly on the minds of Washington’s newsmakers,” said Weijia Jiang, president of the White House Correspondents’ Association. “We look forward to an exciting, fresh, and interactive evening as we celebrate the First Amendment and Washington news coverage together.”

The announcement comes during a period of continued change across the media industry, as organizations adapt to new technologies, evolving audience habits, and shifts in business models. Leadership transitions and ownership changes among major media companies – including Paramount’s acquisition of CBS – have drawn attention to how legacy news organizations are positioning themselves for the future in an increasingly digital and technology-driven environment.

For communities like the Washington AI Network, which convene leaders across media, technology, and public policy, moments like the White House Correspondents’ Dinner serve as reminders of the enduring role of public service, including journalism. The gathering remains a rare opportunity for professionals across sectors to come together to recognize reporting, storytelling, and the institutions that support the flow of information.

As Pearlman prepares to take the stage, the 2026 dinner reflects both continuity and change – honoring long-standing traditions while embracing new forms of engagement at a time when media and technology continue to evolve side by side.

WASHINGTON — At a live recording of the Washington AI Network Podcast, Booking Holdings CEO Glenn Fogel said artificial intelligence is poised to change that — bringing back the kind of personalized service travelers once got from a human agent, now through the devices they use every day.

Recorded at The House at 1229, the conversation was led by BBC News chief anchor Sumi Somaskanda, sitting in for Washington AI Network founder Tammy Haddad, in front of a room filled with leaders across tech, media, and policy.

Fogel, whose company includes Booking.com, Priceline, KAYAK, OpenTable, and Agoda, described a future where generative AI acts as an always-on travel assistant — one that understands preferences, anticipates disruptions, and can make real-time changes across flights, hotels, transportation, and dining.

“This is like a travel agent in my pocket,” Fogel said, pointing to the growing role of AI-powered tools across Booking Holdings’ platforms.

He outlined the company’s vision for a “Connected Trip,” where AI goes beyond booking to actively manage the full travel experience. From reworking itineraries due to weather to fixing missed reservations, the goal is to make travel more seamless from start to finish.

Fogel also highlighted how AI is already improving customer service, from cutting down wait times to helping agents respond faster and more efficiently. “You shouldn’t have to wait at all in the future,” he said.

At the same time, he acknowledged the challenges that come with how quickly AI is advancing, noting the difficulty for policymakers trying to keep pace. “It’s a dawn of a new age, and the problem is nobody has a good sense of what the future’s going to be,” he said.

The discussion also touched on digital taxes, global regulation, competition with major AI platforms, and how geopolitics continues to shape travel patterns worldwide.

SPOTTED: Sam Feist, Sarah Hudgins, Robert Hayes, Heather Kulp, Helen Milby, Meridith McGraw, Niamh King, Michael Petricone, Nicole Mortier, Jayne Sandman, Artur Orkisz, Matt Keller, Ruth Schipper, Angeli Chawla, Andrea Yang, Julian Ramirez, Sutton Tyson, T.W. Arrighi, Lisa Allen, Katy Balls, Christian Peña, Asad Ramzanali, Matt Gorman, Julian Graham and Danny Smith.

The episode is part of the Washington AI Network’s ongoing series exploring how AI is reshaping industries and everyday life. Listen on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your preferred platform.

WASHINGTON — The Consumer Technology Association (CTA) – the producer of CES® – is set to recognize a group of top U.S. policymakers and consumer technology innovators at its annual Digital Patriots Dinner and Consumer Technology Hall of Fame ceremony on April 21 during CTA Tech Week in Washington.

Among this year’s Digital Patriots honorees are White House Science & Technology Advisor Michael Kratsios, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), and U.S. Representatives Ted Lieu (D-CA) and Jay Obernolte (R-CA). Reps. Lieu and Obernolte are being recognized for their leadership of the bipartisan House Artificial Intelligence Task Force, which has worked to develop policy recommendations to guide the United States’ approach to artificial intelligence.

The Digital Patriots program honors government leaders who advance public policies supporting innovation, entrepreneurship, and growth in consumer technology. “Technology is transforming the world around us and strengthening America’s global leadership,” said Gary Shapiro, executive chair and CEO of CTA. “These honorees are helping drive that progress and have demonstrated a commitment to boosting innovation and the partnerships between industry and government that make it possible.”

“Our Digital Patriots and Hall of Fame inductees represent leaders shaping the policy and technologies that define the future,” said Kinsey Fabrizio, president of CTA. “Bringing those worlds together is core to CTA’s mission, and we are proud to celebrate the people moving innovation forward.”

CTA will also induct two prominent technology figures into the Consumer Technology Hall of Fame.

Gaming industry leader Reggie Fils-Aimé, the former president and chief operating officer of Nintendo of America and founder of Brentwood Growth Partners, will be recognized for his leadership during the launches of major platforms, including the Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS, and Nintendo Switch.

Technology entrepreneur Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of Reddit and founder of venture firm Seven Seven Six, will also be inducted for his influence on the development of online communities and his continued investments in emerging technologies and startups.

The dinner will take place during CTA Tech Week, which convenes policymakers, industry executives, and innovators to discuss the future of technology policy in Washington. The week also includes CES on the Hill, an exhibition highlighting emerging consumer technologies and the companies developing them.

The Digital Patriots Dinner has become one of Washington’s key gatherings where lawmakers and technology leaders meet to discuss the intersection of policy and innovation — a focus CTA says is essential as the United States navigates competition in artificial intelligence, advanced computing, and digital infrastructure.

WASHINGTON, D.C. —The residence of the French Ambassador Laurent Bili was standing room only as Jon Kelly, Puck co-founder, presented New York Times columnist Andrew Ross Sorkin with the First Amendment award at their annual celebration of the First Amendment.  Sens. Jim Banks (R-IN) and Chris Murphy (D-CT), Reps. Jason Crow (D-CO) and Kevin Kiley (R-CA), joined media insiders, lawmakers, and technology leaders. 

Kelly praised Sorkin’s influence in business journalism and his role in shaping national conversations on markets, power, and the press. In his acceptance remarks, Sorkin warned that AI is moving faster than society is prepared for. “The real question is not whether jobs will change. It is whether we are ready for the scale of that change and what happens to the truth?”

Held at the elegant residence of Laurent Bili, the event celebrated the role of journalism in public life and drew a cross-section of Washington’s political, media, and technology communities. Conversations spanned the future of the media industry, the shifting relationship between technology and government, and the enduring importance of independent reporting. The gathering has become a fixture on Washington’s social calendar, drawing leading voices from politics, journalism, and business for an evening of celebration. 

The Puck journalists were there in force, including Dylan Byers, Peter Hamby, LeighAnn Caldwell, and John Ourand. The Trump Administration’s CMS lead, Chris Klomp, along with Noah Sofio, Alex Flemister, Seval Oz, and Karen Sessions, attended. Previous First Amendment recipients David Ignatius, Weijia Jiang, Kara Swisher, Amanda Katz, Cesar Conde, Kaitlan Collins, Pamela Brown attended. CTA’s incoming CEO Kinsey Fabrizio, Michael Petricone, Jill Hazelbaker, Josh Dawsey, Sumi Somaskanda, Cat Zakrzewski, Kasie Hunt, Katelyn Bledsoe, Olivia Igbokwe, Steve Thomma, Shawn McCreesh, Peter Baker, and Susan Glasser. Sarah Personette, Liz Gough, 

Wonder Woman herself, Lynda Carter, and the director Patty Jenkins, were also in attendance.

Live at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg Center, OPM Director Scott Kupor, NobleReach CEO Arun Gupta, Navy CTO Justin Fanelli and Johns Hopkins APL’s Christopher Watkins make the case for “skills over credentials” and a new on-ramp into public service.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A new episode of the Washington AI Network Podcast, recorded before a live audience at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Center Theater, featured an exclusive interview with U.S. Tech Force founder Scott Kupor, director of the Office of Personnel Management. This federal government initiative is aimed at rapidly expanding the government’s technical talent pipeline as AI and emerging technologies accelerate faster than the public sector can hire and adapt.

The conversation, moderated by Washington AI Network founder Tammy Haddad, also included Tech Force partner Arun Gupta, CEO of the NobleReach Foundation; Justin Fanelli, chief technology officer for the U.S. Navy; and Christopher Watkins, chief mission engineering and integration officer at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory.

From the Hopkins Bloomberg Center stage, Kupor framed the initiative as a response to two converging pressures: the speed of technological change and an impending demographic crunch across the federal workforce.

“The pace of technology is just going to continue to accelerate,” Kupor said, warning the government is “woefully under-prepared from a talent perspective.” He added, “Only 7% of the workforce in government is under the age of 30… if we do nothing, we have a pending problem.”

Kupor said early interest has surpassed expectations, with aspirations to scale the program quickly. “It’s been phenomenal, way better than expected,” he said, pointing to ambitions beyond the initial target. “1,000 is our initial target, but my aspirations… we should be doing 5,000… 10,000.”

A central design feature, Kupor emphasized, is reducing the “all-or-nothing” nature of government service—particularly for early-career technologists who may be wary of committing for decades. “I don’t want people to feel like they’re making a 40-year decision,” he said, adding that movement between public service and the private sector can be “healthy for both.”

A skills-first model — and a new public-service pitch

Kupor also highlighted a major shift in federal hiring: placing skills ahead of traditional credentials. “You don’t need to have a degree at Tech Force,” he said. “The requirement for the job is can you actually perform the skills that we need you to perform.”

Gupta, whose NobleReach Foundation has built a pipeline of early-career technologists into government roles, argued the bigger challenge is cultural: modernizing how public service is sold—and experienced.

“We used to sell government as a 30-year career,” Gupta said. “What we’re saying now is: come for a year or two, learn, serve, and see what’s possible… and whether you stay or leave, you become part of the public-service ecosystem.”

Gupta said firsthand experience is also a trust-building tool at a moment of deep skepticism about institutions. “Once you’re inside government, you humanize it,” he said. “You understand that there are good people with positive intent doing hard work — and that changes how trust gets rebuilt.”

AI at the edge: decision advantage, trust, and “exponentially better” performance

In the episode’s national security-focused segments, Fanelli and Watkins described how AI is already changing mission-critical operations—especially when deployed close to real-world problems.

Fanelli said the value is measurable in outcomes that matter in operational environments. “What it looks like is time on mission, increased lethality, increased survivability, and increased power projection,” he said, adding, “There are places where it’s not linearly better—it’s exponentially better.”

Watkins emphasized that AI’s promise is tied to reducing cognitive overload and enabling faster, higher-quality decisions in high-stakes settings. “Think about cognitive load of the operators,” he said. “It’s really about decision advantage at the end of the day—who can make the best decision fastest?”

Both stressed that adoption ultimately depends on trust. Watkins pointed to explainable systems as a requirement, not a luxury. “How do you trust what the algorithms are providing to you?” he asked, describing explainable AI as a way to show “evidence accrual—why it’s saying what it’s saying—so the operator can trust and promote it in the system.”

Fanelli argued the fastest learning happens when technologists are embedded closest to the mission. “If you are closer to the problem and closer to the people with the problems, you’re going to learn more,” he said. “You’re going to figure out what applications are there.”The episode is available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and major podcast platforms, with a full transcript provided by the Washington AI Network. Here’s how the event was covered by NextGov.

LAS VEGAS — At CES 2026, the world’s largest technology show, the Washington AI Network Podcast hosted a wide-ranging conversation on the future of digital finance, blockchain, and artificial intelligence, featuring Caroline Pham of MoonPay.

In an interview recorded live from the CES show floor, Tammy Haddad, founder of the Washington AI Network, spoke with Caroline Pham, former acting chair and commissioner of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission and now MoonPay’s chief legal and administrative officer. The discussion focused on stablecoins, regulatory clarity, and how emerging technologies are reshaping finance and the creator economy.

Pham pointed to CES as a glimpse into how digital money is moving from theory into daily use. “One of the things that was very cool about being here at CES is… there’s a big presence with creators, with artists, and you’re able to do some interesting things with the blockchain technology powered with digital money,” she said.

Having helped advance the GENIUS Act, which established a regulatory framework for payment stablecoins, Pham emphasized that clarity is unlocking innovation. She described stablecoins as “programmable, smart value systems” that can move money more efficiently across global markets and support everything from financial infrastructure to consumer applications.

A central theme of the conversation was how blockchain, stablecoins, and AI could transform how creators earn money and protect their work. “With agentic AI, with the blockchain technology, with digital money like stablecoins… all of that can be automated, and you could be getting paid for what you made,” Pham said, calling the technology a way to modernize royalties and strengthen intellectual property protections.

Pham also argued that the shift goes beyond creators to individuals more broadly. “Every single person is going to be able to be their own creator with a bank and a network and consumers or fans all accessible through decentralized applications,” she said, describing a future built around direct, peer-to-peer economic relationships.

Looking ahead, Pham predicted rapid growth. “In 2026, we’re going to see institutional adoption, but we’re also going to see adoption of digital money at scale,” she said. The episode was recorded at CES 2026, produced by the Consumer Technology Association, and is available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other major platforms.

LAS VEGAS — A wave of U.S. government leadership took center stage at CES 2026, underscoring the growing role of public policy in shaping the future of technology innovation. High-level officials, including Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Michael Kratsios, Under Secretary for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg, Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy, Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo, and newly confirmed U.S. Chief Technology Officer Ethan Klein, converged at CES this week for major panels, strategy sessions, and forward-looking discussions.

Officials emphasized the importance of public-private collaboration, workforce development, global competitiveness, and regulatory clarity as AI and other emerging technologies rapidly transform industries.

A key highlight of the week was “America’s AI Future: A Fireside Chat”, where Director Kratsios joined CTA President Kinsey Fabrizio to lay out the administration’s strategic priorities on artificial intelligence.

Kratsios framed the U.S. approach around bolstering innovation, infrastructure, and global deployment — saying that to “win the AI race,” the country must not only sustain research and development but also remove regulatory barriers that slow commercialization and market entry. He noted that inconsistent state-level AI rules increase compliance costs, particularly for startups and smaller firms.

A central theme of Kratsios’s remarks was the urgent need to upgrade physical and digital infrastructure, including data centers and energy systems capable of supporting massive AI workloads — and to streamline permitting processes that often hold projects up. “The future is already here. Our job is to make it deployable,” he said.

Workforce development was another major focus, with Kratsios stressing that AI literacy needs to start in K-12 education and continue through reskilling programs that link Americans to AI-related jobs — echoing a broader push to expand access to opportunity in an AI-driven economy with the newly announced Tech Force initiative.

Governors Mike Dunleavy (Alaska) and Joe Lombardo (Nevada) joined the conversation on regional tech ecosystems, showcasing how localized leadership drives innovation, investment, and job creation across sectors from energy tech to autonomous systems. Their remarks highlighted the diversity of U.S. tech growth beyond traditional Silicon Valley hubs.

Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Jacob Helberg engaged audiences on how technology, security, and statecraft intersect — particularly in semiconductors and AI — underscoring the strategic link between technological leadership and national competitiveness.

The week also saw congressional staffers and policy advisors actively engaging with industry leaders on topics from trade policy to cybersecurity. These discussions, often held informally on the show floor as well as in scheduled sessions, reflected a broader trend of policymakers using CES as a platform to inform and shape legislative priorities in real time. One notable discussion hosted by CTA’s Michael Petricone analyzed the “Litigation Tax,” and how lawsuits stifle U.S. innovation industry leaders, and Chief Counsel for Intellectual Property of the House Judiciary Committee John Lee joined the discussion.

CES 2026 wasn’t just about gadgets; it was equally a policy summit, with sessions addressing autonomous systems, digital trade, competition, and workforce issues. Government participation — from federal offices to state leadership — signaled a deepening recognition that technology policy and innovation strategy are now inseparable.

As one CTA official noted ahead of the show, CES has become “where the world comes to define the future of technology” — and with policymakers playing a leading role this year, that future looks poised to be shaped by both innovation and sensible governance. 

Here’s more government officials spotted at CES as reported in POLITICO: 

OUT AND ABOUT — Official Washington showed up in force at CES 2026 this week, where senators, governors, Trump officials and top regulators joined Consumer Technology Association leadership — Gary Shapiro, Kinsey Fabrizio, Tiffany Moore and Michael Petricone — turning the Las Vegas Convention Center and surrounding hotels into a hub for conversations on AI, health tech, mobility, competition and U.S. innovation. SPOTTED across CES stages: Sens. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy, Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo, CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz, Deputy CMS Administrator Chris Klomp, FDA Commissioner Martin Makary, NTIA Administrator Arielle Roth, FHWA Administrator Sean McMaster, NHTSA Administrator Jonathan Morrison, FCC Chair Brendan Carr, FCC Commissioners Anna Gomez and Olivia Trusty, Michael Kratsios, William Kimmitt, Darío Gil, Jacob Helberg, Ethan Klein, Sushan Demirjian and Conner Prochaska.

LAS VEGAS — CES 2026 opened Tuesday in Las Vegas, bringing tens of thousands of technology executives, engineers, investors, policymakers, and media to the world’s largest annual showcase of tech innovation, with artificial intelligence dominating the agenda from the opening hours. 

CTA Chairman and CEO Gary Shapiro and CTA President Kinsey Fabrizio previewed the themes shaping the show, the year ahead, and the future of the technology industry. The first keynote address by Lisa Su, CEO of AMD, followed announcements by Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, across town. Her presentation included a surprise guest, Greg Brockman, President of OpenAI, and multiple technological advances.  Tuesday morning’s presentations featured appearances by senior industry leaders including Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon, NVIDIA founder and CEO Jensen Huang, and Siemens AG CEO Roland Busch, blending major announcements and visual presentations with a live performance by the a cappella group Mo5aic. 

The four-day conference, held across the Las Vegas Convention Center and multiple venues along the Strip, is expected to feature more than 4,000 exhibitors and attendees from over 150 countries, reinforcing CES’s role as a bellwether for the technology industry’s priorities in the year ahead.

Each speaker defined how they are working with AI from robotics to health. From keynote stages to packed exhibit halls, AI was positioned not as a standalone category but as core infrastructure — embedded across consumer electronics, semiconductors, mobility, robotics, health technology, and enterprise systems.

One of the most closely watched moments of opening day came from NVIDIA, where CEO Jensen Huang outlined the company’s latest advances in AI computing platforms designed to power increasingly complex models and real-time applications.  Huang said, “The ChatGPT moment for physical AI is here — when machines begin to understand, reason and act in the real world […] Robotaxis are among the first to benefit.”

NVIDIA and AMD’s presence underscored the growing influence of chipmakers as foundational players in the AI economy. Major semiconductor rivals, consumer electronics giants, and automotive manufacturers also used the opening day to highlight AI-driven upgrades to products ranging from personal devices and smart home systems to autonomous and electric vehicles. Several companies emphasized partnerships and platforms rather than standalone gadgets, signaling a shift toward ecosystem-based innovation.

Beyond hardware, CES 2026 opened amid heightened attention to AI governance, energy demands, workforce disruption, and national competitiveness. Executives and policymakers attending the show pointed to growing global pressure to balance rapid innovation with security, sustainability, and regulation — themes expected to shape panels and private meetings throughout the week.

The opening day also reflected CES’s expanding role beyond consumer tech. Digital health, industrial automation, defense-adjacent technologies, and climate solutions featured prominently, mirroring how the conference has evolved into a cross-sector convening point for both commercial and public-interest technology.

As CES 2026 continues through Friday, attendees will turn to deeper dives on mobility, health tech, sustainability, creator tools, and accessibility — but the message from opening day was clear: artificial intelligence is no longer a category on the show floor. It is the lens through which nearly every major technology story is now being told.

You needed the secret password—llama—to slip into the Washington AI Network Winter Speakeasy, but once inside, it was full holiday magic. Guests traded coats for Meta smart glasses, with Meta’s Head of Global Communications, David Ginsberg, front and center as an A-list mix of media stars, policy pros, investors, and technologists leaned into cocktails, karaoke, and just the right amount of AI-fueled mischief. The crowd voted on their most-used AI tools, confessed their favorite chatbot prompts, and fueled the fun with Dog Tag Bakery’s legendary Do-nies (donut-brownies).

Here is how Politico playbook mentioned the event:

SPOTTED at a Washington AI Network winter speakeasy, presented by Meta, at the House at 1229 yesterday evening: David Ginsberg, Kaitlan Collins, David Gelles, Josh Dawsey, Andy Stone, Matt Kaplan, Jackie Rooney, Brian Roehrkasse, Donnie Fowler, Phil Rucker, Maryam Mujica, Craig Gordon, Jonathan and Betsy Fischer Martin, Helen Milby, Katelyn Bledsoe, Sabrina Singh, Janet Adamy, Annie Linskey, Christine Brennan, Colin Demarest, Sumi Somaskanda, Keenan Austin Reed, Katy Balls, Lauren Williams, Emily Wilkins, Maggie Eastland, Naomi Nix, Victoria Espinel, Matt Paul, Matt Gorman, Adrienne Elrod, Dannia Hakki and Tammy Haddad.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Gary Shapiro, CEO and vice chair of the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), and CTA President Kinsey Fabrizio lifted the veil on CES 2026 for a podcast taping at a Washington AI Network event.

CES, widely regarded as the most influential technology event in the world, brings together global innovators as a proving ground for breakthrough technologies. Shapiro told Washington AI Network founder Tammy Haddad, “We have a lot of people not only from Washington, but literally from government capitals around the world… and the reaction to CES is off the charts. In a time of great change and great crisis, they want to come together.” President Kinsey Fabrizio said, “It is important is for public-private cooperation and collaboration, and in order to do that, you want to understand how the tech is created and what it’s capable of and what the challenges are, what the opportunities are, and the best way to do that is by seeing it in person and walking through the show floor and getting a demo.”

Shapiro, who has led CTA for more than three decades and helped transform CES into a global platform for innovation, praised President Donald Trump’s leadership on artificial intelligence. He underscored the sweeping impact AI will have on the economy, saying it “will save the economy and give him (Trump) a place in history,” and compared the coming wave of AI-driven change to the arrival of the internet, predicting “generational change.”

The conversation turned to digital health with Fabrizio, who launched CTA’s Health Division at CES 2015 and spearheaded the first Continuing Medical Education (CME)-accredited conference at CES 2019. She highlighted innovations such as a portable MRI featured at CES, which she said can be deployed in underserved communities in the United States and around the world, expanding access to critical healthcare services.

The evening drew a strong Washington crowd. Guests spotted at the event included Kara Swisher and Amanda Katz, Lynda Carter, Alex Flemister, Karen Sessions, Robert Hayes, Barbara Humpton, John Taylor, J.P. Freire, Elizabeth Falcone, Luther Lowe, Marie Baldassarre, Sara Fischer, Senay Bulbul, Thomas Pacchia, Montgomery Odle, Tina Anthony, Michael Block, Michael Moroney, Sam Feist, Liz Johnson, Liz Hart, Helen Milby, and Alex Allaire.​Listeners can hear more about CES 2026 and its featured innovations on the Washington AI Network podcast here.

TYSONS, Va. — Lafayette 148 New York at Tysons Galleria became the epicenter of Washington’s women-in-leadership community on Thursday, November 13, as senior female chiefs of staff from Capitol Hill convened for the boutique’s annual holiday shopping fundraiser in support of American University’s Women & Politics Institute and its WeLead campaign training program, as well as American University’s First Ladies Initiative.

The event was hosted by Anita McBride, director of the university’s First Ladies Initiative; Betsy Fischer Martin, executive director of the Women & Politics Institute; and Tammy Haddad, CEO of Haddad Media and founder of the Washington AI Network.

A bipartisan panel discussion anchored the evening, featuring Senate chiefs Toni-Marie Higgins, longtime chief of staff to Sen. John Boozman; Elizabeth Falcone, chief of staff to Sen. Mark Warner; and Liz Johnson, former chief of staff to Sen. Mitt Romney. Falcone, Johnson, and Reema Dodin participated in an on-stage conversation moderated by Fischer Martin and McBride, offering candid insights into their career paths, leadership styles, and experiences navigating the highest levels of congressional power.
Other chiefs in attendance included Caitlyn Stephenson, chief of staff to Sen. Gary Peters; Marie Baldassarre, chief of staff to Rep. Ro Khanna; and a number of rising staff leaders from across Capitol Hill.

Panelists addressed the evolving role of women in government, highlighting the progress that has been made toward gender equity and the work that remains. They emphasized the value of mentorship, bipartisan collaboration, and resilience in shaping effective public service careers, underscoring how women in senior staff roles increasingly influence major policy decisions and legislative strategy.
The evening drew a strong Washington crowd, with Lafayette 148’s King Chong and Jen Shields welcoming guests including Helen Milby, Katelyn Bledsoe, Julie Russell, Mollie O’Dell, Angeli Chawla, Wendy Benjaminson, Julie Jarvis, Kate Super, and Virginia Coyne.

The event served as both a celebration of women leaders in public service and a fundraiser for programs that continue to expand pathways for future generations of women in politics.

Washington, DC — The leaders of government, tech, policy, and media gathered to celebrate  General Catalyst CEO Hemant Taneja’s new book, The Transformation Principles: How Leaders Create the Future, at the Jefferson Hotel. The evening featured an insightful conversation between Taneja and CNN anchor Pamela Brown. They covered innovation in the age of artificial intelligence, leadership, and the defining characteristics of transformative organizations. Taneja spoke about the urgent need for leaders to build with purpose and responsibility in an era defined by rapid technological change. 

Guests mingled over cocktails and conversations in the Jefferson’s historic Greenhouse Restaurant space. The event drew a powerhouse crowd of policymakers, entrepreneurs, and figures, all eager to discuss the future of leadership in an AI-driven world. 

Many government officials attended despite the government closure, including Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio), U.S. Deputy Secretary of Commerce Paul Dabbar, the White House’s Senior Policy Advisor for AI Sriam Krishnan and Schema Ventures Founder Aarthi Ramamurthy, Director of Medicare and Deputy Administrator of CMS Chris Klomp, and Chief Technology Officer for the Navy Justin Fanelli. 

Other guests included CNN Contributor David Urban, NobleReach Foundation CEO Arun Gupta, Chief Public Policy Officer Maryam Mujica, U.S. Department of the Treasury Senior Advisor Rebecca Karabus, Head of Public Policy Communications at NVIDIA John Rizzo, Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Will Wu, Valinor CEO Julie Bush, Senior Advisor at CMS Emily Chen, Staff Writer for The New Yorker Antonia Hitchens, Army Col. David Butler, Managing Director and Partner at Beacon Global Strategies Jeremy Bash, Beacon Global Strategies VP Kaly McKenna, Ridgley Walsh CEO Juleanna Glover, John Harris, Olivia Igbokwe, Katelyn Bledsoe, Steve Clemons, author Kevin Maney, Sumi Somaskanda from the BBC, General Catalyst’s Jeannette zu Fürstenberg, and Thomas Wagner.