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Bill Gates recently found himself at the center of attention during the India AI Impact Summit, a prestigious event that drew eyes from around the globe. The Microsoft co-founder was initially slated to deliver a keynote address, but in a last-minute decision, he withdrew from the event, stirring a wave of speculation.
The decision to step back coincides with renewed scrutiny over Gates’ past interactions with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. The controversy reignited following a recent release of documents by the Department of Justice, which shed light on the communications between Gates and Epstein, adding more fuel to the public’s interest.
In response to the growing unease, the Gates Foundation in India announced on Thursday that Gates would not be speaking at the summit. They stated the decision was made “after careful consideration” to keep the summit’s focus on its primary discussions about AI, adding that another representative from the foundation would take his place.
Separately, a spokesperson for Gates addressed the situation, telling CNBC that Gates acknowledges his meetings with Epstein were a grave mistake. However, the spokesperson emphasized that Gates “unequivocally denies any improper conduct related to Epstein and the atrocious activities he was involved in.”
The Gates Foundation India on Thursday said the billionaire would skip the address “[a]fter careful consideration, and to ensure the focus remains on the AI Summit’s key priorities,” adding that he would be replaced by another foundation representative.
A spokesperson for Gates told CNBC separately that while he has acknowledged meeting Epstein was a serious error in judgment, he “unequivocally denies any improper conduct related to Epstein and the horrible activities in which Epstein was involved.”
“Mr. Gates never visited Epstein’s island, never attended parties with him, and had no involvement in any illegal activities associated with Epstein,” the spokesperson said.
The official announcement capped a back-and-forth saga that began earlier this week when local Indian media pointed out that Gates’ name had been removed from some of the summit’s public-facing materials.
Government sources later briefed the media that Gates was not expected to attend the event. However, the Gates Foundation issued a conflicting message on Wednesday, insisting that he was participating “as planned” before the recent reversal.
Asked about the controversy on Tuesday, India’s IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told reporters that Gates’ attendance would come down to “personal choices,” adding he “need not comment.” The summit organizers and the foundation did not immediately respond to a request for comments on Gates’ absence.
The American tech leader turned philanthropist has been under intense scrutiny in recent weeks following the release of millions of documents related to financier Jeffrey Epstein under the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
The files included a draft email written to himself in which Epstein suggests that he had helped facilitate extramarital affairs and sexual encounters for Gates, amongst other references of the Microsoft co-founder.
In an interview with Australia’s 9News last month, Gates called Epstein’s allegations in the files “absolutely absurd and completely false.”
He said that his interactions with Epstein were limited to dinners aimed at potential philanthropy discussions, adding that he “never met any women.”
The New Delhi AI Impact Summit, where Gates had been scheduled to speak, has seen participation from leading tech names such as Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, OpenAI’s Sam Altman, and Anthropic’s Dario Amodei, besides a host of global leaders including French President Emmanuel Macron and UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
The Gates Foundation has invested in India across health and development, and has also backed projects related to AI.
