Bill Gates Pulls Out of India AI Event Over Epstein Document Dispute

Bill Gates will no longer deliver his keynote address at the India AI Impact Summit in Delhi, his philanthropic organisation confirmed just hours before he had been scheduled to take the stage.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation said the decision followed “careful consideration” and was taken to ensure the spotlight remained on the summit’s core priorities, without offering further details.

Gates’s withdrawal comes amid renewed scrutiny over his past association with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, after his name appeared in documents released in January by the US Department of Justice.

A spokesperson for Gates described the claims linked to the files as “absolutely absurd and completely false”. The billionaire has previously acknowledged that he regretted spending time with Epstein. Gates has not been accused of wrongdoing by any of Epstein’s victims, and the mention of his name in the documents does not indicate criminal activity.

The foundation confirmed that Ankur Vora, president of its Africa and India offices, would address the summit in his place. It added that the organisation remains “fully committed” to advancing shared health and development goals in India.

Gates’s participation had been uncertain for several days. He is currently in India and earlier this week visited Andhra Pradesh, where discussions reportedly focused on health, agriculture, education and technology initiatives. After media reports suggested he might pull out, the foundation initially said he would proceed with the speech as planned before later confirming his withdrawal.

The decision is seen as a setback for the summit, which India has positioned as a flagship platform to strengthen its ambition of becoming a global AI hub. The five-day gathering features policy debates, start-up showcases and closed-door meetings on AI governance, infrastructure and innovation.

The event has also attracted major investment pledges from companies, including Microsoft, aimed at expanding AI access and infrastructure across India and other countries. Delegates from more than 100 nations, including several world leaders, are attending.

However, the summit has already faced challenges, including organisational issues on its opening day and controversy surrounding an Indian university’s claim to have developed a robot dog that was later reported to be manufactured in China.

Calls for AI democratisation

Despite Gates’s absence, high-profile figures continue to address the forum. Sam Altman urged urgent regulation of artificial intelligence during his speech.

“Democratisation of AI is the best way to ensure humanity flourishes,” he said, warning that concentrating the technology within a single company or country could prove damaging. He stressed that safeguards and regulatory frameworks are urgently needed, as with other transformative technologies.

Similar messages were echoed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron, both of whom called for a collaborative and inclusive approach to AI innovation.