Bill Gates withdrew from delivering a keynote address at India’s AI Impact Summit in New Delhi on Thursday, hours before he was scheduled to speak, as scrutiny intensified over his past ties to the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein following the release of U.S. Justice Department emails.
The abrupt decision dealt a setback to a flagship gathering that India has positioned as a major global AI forum, even as the six-day event secured more than $200 billion in investment pledges for artificial intelligence infrastructure.
The Gates Foundation said the decision was made after “careful consideration” and “to ensure the focus remains on the AI Summit’s key priorities,” without elaborating further.
Ankur Vora, president of the foundation’s Africa and India offices, spoke in his place.
Gates’s withdrawal followed the release in January of U.S. Justice Department files that included references to communication between Epstein and staff at the Gates Foundation.
A spokesperson for Gates has described claims linked to the files as “absolutely absurd and completely false,” and Gates has said he regretted spending time with Epstein, adding previously that their relationship was limited to philanthropy-related discussions.
He has not been accused of wrongdoing by any of Epstein’s victims, and his appearance in the files does not imply criminal activity.
Days earlier, the foundation had dismissed speculation that he would skip the summit and said he was on track to attend.
The organization said it remains fully committed to its work in India to advance shared health and development goals.
Despite the controversy, the summit drew delegates from more than 100 countries, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron.
In his address, Modi called for vigilance on children’s safety in AI spaces and urged that technology be shared to promote inclusion, particularly in the Global South.
Major investment announcements included a $110 billion pledge by Reliance Industries to build India’s AI ecosystem, while Tata Group signed a partnership deal with OpenAI.
The event, however, has faced criticism over organizational lapses, traffic disruptions and the removal of a university stall after a robotic dog displayed there was found to be commercially produced in China.
Gates’s cancellation followed an earlier withdrawal by Nvidia chief Jensen Huang, adding to challenges for a summit billed as a milestone in India’s push for global AI leadership.