Gates Skips New Delhi AI Summit Amid Epstein Storm
Gates Skips New Delhi AI Summit Amid Epstein Storm
Bill Gates withdraws from the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi amid Epstein controversy, with a Gates Foundation official delivering the keynote.
New Delhi — Bill Gates pulled out of the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi on Thursday after earlier signaling he would deliver the keynote, leaving organizers to pivot to a stand-in speaker. The Gates Foundation had indicated the day before that Gates would participate, but the keynote on the inaugural day went ahead with Ankur Vora, President of Africa and India Offices, speaking instead and not mentioning Gates in his remarks.
A Gates Foundation statement said that after careful consideration, and to ensure the focus remains on the AI Summit's key priorities, Mr. Gates will not be delivering his keynote address. The Foundation added it remains fully committed to its work in India to advance health and development goals.
Government officials described the withdrawal as Gates’ independent decision, with one senior IT ministry official noting there was no pressure from the Indian government. Another official added that while the government did not initiate the decision, there was a view that the summit’s message could be at risk if protests were directed at Gates.
In Gates’ absence, Ankur Vora's keynote steered the session without any direct reference to Gates. Gates had been in India recently, including a visit to Mumbai a few days prior. The episode arrives against the backdrop of renewed scrutiny over Gates’ past interactions with Epstein, with documents released by U.S. authorities and media reporting detailing meetings between Gates and Epstein. The event’s focus, however, remained on AI and its implications for policy, health, and development in India.
