Axios AI+ DC Summit 2025 is one of the year’s marquee gatherings at the intersection of artificial intelligence, policy, and industry. The D.C. stop is the second in Axios’ three-city AI+ tour (New York, Washington, San Francisco), convening top names from government, Big Tech, startups, and the investing world to debate the most urgent AI questions—from regulation and national competitiveness to misinformation, safety, and commercialization.
Quick facts of Axios AI+ DC (at a glance)
When (onsite): Wednesday, September 17, 2025 (early-afternoon program). Axios’ events listing shows 1:00 PM ET as the start time.
Livestream window: Axios’ “Watch” page promotes a 2:00 PM ET stream for the headline conversations. (Commonly, in-person doors/programming start earlier than the public stream.)
Where: Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20240.
Format: Live, on-stage interviews and panels with prominent voices across policy and the AI ecosystem, plus a public stream.
Tour context: AI+ is a three-stop Axios series in NYC, D.C., and San Francisco.
Pro tip: If you’re attending onsite, plan for security screening and arrive ahead of the listed “program start” time. If you’re watching online, head to Axios’ “Watch” page a few minutes early so you don’t miss the opening questions.
Why Axios AI+ DC Summit 2025 matters
Washington is where AI policy actually gets written—and where industry leaders increasingly show up to make their case. From compute access and export controls to safety standards, antitrust, and election integrity, the rules set in D.C. will shape global AI competition. By placing policymakers on stage with founders, chipmakers, cloud platforms, and AI safety leaders, Axios’ format tends to surface clarifying soundbites (and sometimes real news).
Agenda pillars to watch
While the minute-by-minute schedule may evolve, Axios AI+ DC program emphasizes these recurring themes:
AI regulation & governance
Expect probing on the pace of rulemaking, the balance between innovation and oversight, and how agencies coordinate on model evaluations, disclosures, and safety regimes.National competitiveness & geopolitics
Compute supply chains, chips, and international alliances are front and center—especially as the U.S., EU, and Asia chart diverging (but sometimes harmonized) approaches to AI.
Misinformation & election integrity
With multimodal models and generative tools becoming ubiquitous, the policy conversation is shifting toward provenance, watermarking, platform accountability, and rapid-response frameworks.Commercial adoption & safety
Bridging the gap between cutting-edge research and enterprise deployment—while baking in safety, reliability, and data governance—remains a hot topic across the tour.
Speakers & notables (featured by Axios)
Axios’ preview and “Watch” page highlight a cross-section of influential voices from government and industry (selection below). Exact line-up and timing can change, but the DC roster showcases: Dario Amodei and Jack Clark (Anthropic co-founders), Lisa Su (AMD chair & CEO), Jason Droege (Scale AI CEO), Navrina Singh (Credo AI founder & CEO), Rema Matevosyan (Near Space Labs CEO & co-founder), Steve Simoni (Allen Control Systems co-founder & president), Jacob Helberg (Hill & Valley Forum co-founder and under secretary of state designate), Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), and Arnav Kapur (AlterEgo CEO).
Axios also notes three-city AI+ tour momentum (NYC → D.C. → SF), underscoring this stop’s role in the broader 2025 AI debate.
Date, time, and venue details (what attendees need to know about Axios AI+ DC)
Date: Wednesday, September 17, 2025
Onsite program start (listed): 1:00 PM ET (doors and registration often open earlier).
Livestream: 2:00 PM ET “tune-in” promoted by Axios’ Watch page.
Venue: Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20240.
If you’re planning to attend in person, Axios’ listing directs users to a waitlist (capacity is typically tight for DC venues of this profile).
How to attend or watch
Onsite: The Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium is centrally located near the National Mall; spot verification and seating are common at high-profile DC events—arrive early. Join the waitlist via Axios’ events page if RSVPs are at capacity.
Online: Use Axios’ “Watch” page on the day; headline conversations are set for 2:00 PM ET. You can also watch highlights and related coverage from Axios Events after the fact. Axios+1
Tour context & future stops: The San Francisco AI+ Summit follows on December 4, 2025.
Who should prioritize Axios AI+ DC Summit 2025
Policy & legal: Staffers, regulators, and counsel drafting or interpreting AI policy.
Executives & founders: Leaders evaluating AI adoption, partnerships, and risk frameworks.
Investors & analysts: Anyone modeling the impact of AI on chips, cloud, software, and media.
Researchers & safety pros: Voices shaping model evaluation, robustness, and alignment.
The cross-sector format tends to reveal gaps between policy intent and real-world deployment, which is precisely where opportunity (and risk) lives.
What to watch for in the conversations
Chips, compute, and capital
Watch for commentary on advanced node access, export regimes, and the cascade effect on cost curves and model capability. Chipmakers and cloud leaders often signal their roadmaps between the lines. AxiosAI safety, transparency & audits
Expect questions about model evaluations, red-teaming, and how “safety-by-design” intersects with product velocity in competitive markets.Content provenance & misinformation
With a major election cycle looming, the policy discussion around generative media, watermarking, and platform enforcement will get sharp attention.Enterprise deployment playbooks
The D.C. stop typically elevates practical enterprise stories—what’s shipping, where value accrues, and how organizations handle data governance, privacy, and liability.
FAQ
Is Axios AI+ DC Summit 2025 open to the public?
Capacity is limited; Axios lists a waitlist for in-person attendance. The livestream is public at 2:00 PM ET. Axios+1
Where exactly is the venue?
Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20240 (downtown, near the Mall).
Is this part of a larger series?
Yes—AI+ is a three-stop tour (NYC, D.C., SF) across 2025.
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