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Bill Gates withdraws from AI summit amid Epstein files controversy
The Gates Foundation stated their decision was made to 'keep the summit's key priorities at the forefront'
Bill Gates will not present his keynote speech at the India AI Impact Summit in Delhi, as announced by his charitable foundation just hours before the Microsoft co-founder was expected to deliver his talk.
The Gates Foundation stated the choice was made after "careful reflection" and "to maintain focus on the summit's main priorities," though they did not provide further details.
Gates's decision not to participate arises as controversy over his association with the deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein continues, following his mention in newly released documents by the US Department of Justice in January.
A representative for Gates has described the claims in these files as "utterly ridiculous and entirely untrue," and Gates has expressed regret for associating with Epstein.
Gates has not been accused of any misconduct by Epstein's victims, and merely having his name appear in the documents does not suggest any illegal activity.
The Gates Foundation noted that Ankur Vora, the president of its Africa and India branches, will be addressing the summit in Gates's place.
The foundation also emphasized its "full commitment" to furthering shared health and developmental objectives in India.
Even in Gates's absence, other significant figures are speaking on Thursday, including OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman and Anthropic's CEO Dario Amodei.