Bill Gates withdraws from keynote address in India amid scrutiny over Epstein connections.

Bill Gates has decided to withdraw from his planned keynote address at the AI Impact Summit in India. This move comes as he continues to face scrutiny regarding his past associations with the late child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The billionaire co-founder of Microsoft visited India earlier in the week, where his foundation collaborates with the government to implement AI initiatives aimed at social good. His participation as a speaker at the summit was announced right after India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to address the audience.

However, Gates abruptly canceled his appearance on Thursday morning, just hours before he was supposed to speak to attendees that included notable figures such as French President Emmanuel Macron and India’s wealthiest individual, Mukesh Ambani.

In an official statement, the Gates Foundation explained, “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.”

Interestingly, this announcement came less than 48 hours after the Gates Foundation had reaffirmed their plans, stating, “Bill Gates is attending the AI Impact Summit. He will be delivering his keynote as scheduled.”

Although the foundation did not explicitly clarify the reasons behind Gates’ withdrawal, the recent release of Epstein files in late January has amplified the ongoing controversy surrounding his association with the disgraced financier.

Gates has publicly expressed his regret about his past relationship with Epstein, stating he “regrets” ever knowing Epstein. This regret was particularly underscored after allegations surfaced that Epstein had hidden a sexually transmitted disease from his then-wife, following interactions with “Russian girls,” revealed in the same release of the Epstein files.

He has specifically denied these claims, calling them “false,” but has nonetheless apologized for his past associations. “Every minute I spent with him, I regret,” Gates, aged 70, remarked to Australian media outlet 9News earlier this month.

Epstein, who had faced numerous allegations of sexual misconduct, died by suicide in August 2019 while awaiting trial on charges related to sexual abuse trafficking. In 2008, he pleaded guilty to state charges in Florida involving the solicitation of prostitution, including that of a minor, and served 13 months of an 18-month sentence.

Melinda French Gates, who was married to Bill Gates until their divorce in 2021, reflected on how the new Epstein documents brought back “memories of some very, very painful times in my marriage.”

“Whatever questions remain about what happened—I can’t even begin to know all of it—those questions are for those people and for even my ex-husband,” French Gates commented on NPR. “They need to answer to those things, not me.”

Despite Gates’ absence, the Gates Foundation emphasized on Thursday its unwavering commitment to continue its efforts in India to achieve shared health and developmental goals. Ankur Vora, the president of its Africa and India offices, will represent the foundation at the summit.

The AI summit in Delhi is set to host significant figures, including Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI; Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Google; and Sriram Krishnan, the White House AI adviser. The UK’s presence will be marked by Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy and AI Minister Kanishka Narayan.

Former UK Chancellor George Osborne highlighted in his address that nations that do not adopt advanced AI technologies like those created by OpenAI risk suffering from “FOMO” and could find themselves at a disadvantage economically. He cautioned attendees, “Don’t be left behind.”

Additionally, Rishi Sunak, the former UK Prime Minister who is now advising one of OpenAI’s main competitors, Anthropic, as well as Microsoft, called on leaders to take decisive actions to facilitate the integration of AI. He expressed, “If you are a prime minister, you can only do a few things that you drive personally, and this has to be one of them.”

In contrast, UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that the future trajectory of AI should not be dictated solely by “the whims of a few billionaires.” Guterres urged technology leaders to contribute to a $3 billion global fund designed to ensure equitable access to rapidly evolving AI technologies.