Gates pulls out of India AI summit amid renewed Epstein scrutiny
2026-02-19 - 10:42
Bill Gates abruptly withdrew from a major artificial intelligence summit in New Delhi on Thursday, just hours before he was scheduled to deliver a keynote address, as newly released documents renewed scrutiny over his past ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The Gates Foundation announced the decision in a brief statement, saying 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." Foundation Representation and Commitment The foundation will instead be represented by Ankur Vora, president of its Africa and India offices, who is scheduled to speak later in the day. The organization emphasized that it "remains fully committed" to its health and development work in India, seeking to minimize disruption from the controversy. The summit, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has drawn representatives from more than 100 countries and is being promoted as the first major global AI gathering in the Global South, featuring technology leaders including Sundar Pichai, Sam Altman, and Dario Amodei, alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Epstein Documents and Gates's Response The withdrawal follows the release of thousands of documents under the US Epstein Files Transparency Act, reigniting scrutiny of Gates's past interactions with Epstein, who was found dead in his New York City jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. In a recent interview with 9News Australia, Gates, 70, described spending time with Epstein as "foolish" and expressed regret. "It's factually true that I was only at dinners. I never went to the island, I never met any women," Gates said, denying wrongdoing. "It just reminds me that every minute I spent with him, I regret, and I apologize I did that." Epstein had pleaded guilty in Florida in 2008 to procuring a minor for prostitution, a sentence critics have long characterized as a "sweetheart deal." Summit Continues Amid Distraction The weeklong summit, focused on artificial intelligence's potential and challenges, continues with other high-profile speakers. Gates's absence, while a significant development, is unlikely to derail proceedings that bring together global leaders in technology and governance. However, the incident underscores how past associations continue to shadow the Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist, forcing strategic retreats from public engagements when historical controversies resurface.