Bill Gates’ last-minute AI summit withdrawal sparks fresh chaos, and his foundation says it has nothing to do with Epstein Files

Bill Gates, the billionaire co-founder of Microsoft, just abruptly withdrew from his keynote address at the AI Impact Summit in India, sparking a fresh wave of questions and discussions, as reported by The Guardian. He was slated to speak at the international event just after India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi.

Mr. Gates had traveled to India earlier this week, where his foundation actively works with the government on leveraging AI for social good. However, he suddenly pulled out mere hours before he was scheduled to address a high-profile audience, including French President Emmanuel Macron and India’s richest man, Mukesh Ambani.

The Gates Foundation released a statement regarding the withdrawal, saying: “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.” This reversal came less than 48 hours after the foundation had firmly stated that Mr. Gates was attending and would deliver his keynote as scheduled.

It really makes you wonder what happened in those crucial hours

While the foundation didn’t explicitly state what Mr. Gates believed would detract from the summit’s intended focus, the latest release of the Epstein files in late January certainly intensified the controversy surrounding his ties to the disgraced financier, Jeffrey Epstein. It’s hard to ignore the timing here, and it seems like this ongoing scrutiny might have been the real reason for the sudden decision.

Mr. Gates has previously expressed deep regret about ever knowing Epstein. He said earlier this month, “Every minute I spent with him, I regret.” Some allegations surfaced in the latest batch of Epstein files, appearing in a draft email written by Epstein himself. These claims suggested Mr. Gates had hidden a sexually transmitted disease from his then-wife after interactions with “Russian girls.” Mr. Gates has vehemently denied this particular claim, calling it “false,” and he has apologized for his interactions with his former associate.

Melinda French Gates, to whom Mr. Gates was married until 2021, described how the recent release of the Epstein files brought back “memories of some very, very painful times in my marriage.” When asked about any lingering questions, Ms. French Gates told NPR: “Whatever questions remain there of what, I can’t even begin to know all of it, those questions are for those people and for even my ex-husband. They need to answer to those things, not me.” It’s a pretty powerful statement from her.

Despite Mr. Gates’ personal withdrawal, the Gates Foundation was quick to stress its continued commitment. On Thursday, it affirmed that it “remains fully committed to our work in India to advance our shared health and development goals.” Ankur Vora, who serves as the president of the foundation’s Africa and India offices, represented them at the summit instead.