Super weird that the only relationship documented in this article is two "dinners with AI executives in Asia." Does that count as a close relationship? I get invited to AI dinners in the Bay Area nonstop, and I understand they are always transactional (people wanting to sell me stuff), not actual relations with people who just happen to enjoy my presence...

Are you a CEO? Those invites might work a bit differently.

This. They seem to be making a mountain out of a molehill that seems to consist of a couple of normal business meetings.