India, Feb. 19 -- A brief but telling moment at the India AI Impact Summit has reignited interest in one of Silicon Valley's most closely watched rivalries. During a group photograph with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sam Altman and Dario Amodei - the CEOs of OpenAI and Anthropic - notably avoided holding hands, opting instead to raise their fists.

The awkwardness, caught on camera, quickly went viral on X, prompting memes and commentary. But for those familiar with the history between the two men and their companies, the moment felt less like a surprise and more like a symbolic snapshot of the split and competition in the AI world.

Following the summit's keynote, several global tech leaders joined Modi for a photo-op. Standing alongsid...