Bill Gates skips AI Impact Summit amid Epstein scrutiny

NEW DELHI: After days of speculation, Bill Gates did not deliver his scheduled keynote at the AI Impact Summit 2026, with the Gates Foundation announcing the decision just hours before the address on Thursday. The Foundation had stated a day earlier that the keynote will go ahead as planned.

However, Thursday morning, it was announced on X that the Microsoft founder will skip the speech.

In a brief statement, the foundation said the decision was taken "after careful consideration" to ensure that attention remains on the summit's key priorities. Gates was due to deliver a short but high-profile address on opportunities and risks linked to artificial intelligence. His withdrawal comes amid renewed public discussion around his past association with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, following release of emails bearing his name in late Jan. In recent weeks, some opposition parties and media commentators in India had questioned whether Gates' presence at the summit was appropriate. Despite the debate, preparations appeared unchanged earlier this week. On Tuesday, the Foundation's India office had posted that Gates would attend the summit and deliver his keynote as scheduled. The Foundation said Ankur Vora, president of its Africa and India offices, would deliver the keynote in Gates' place. The Foundation added that it remains fully committed to its work in India to advance shared health and development goals.