# Altman Refused to Shake Amodei's Hand. Now AI Has to Choose Sides. - slug: altman-refused-to-shake-amodeis-hand-now-ai-has-to-choose-sides - date: 2026-03-31 - category: Artificial Intelligence Sam Altman promised Dario Amodei that two colleagues would not have authority over him. Then he made a quiet deal giving them exactly that power. Five years later, the fallout from that broken promise is the central fight in a $300 billion rivalry. ---