Bill Gates Withdraws from AI Summit Speech in India Amid Epstein Files Controversy
Bill Gates has withdrawn from delivering a keynote address scheduled for Thursday at a major AI summit in India, the Gates Foundation announced, after the Microsoft co-founder was mentioned in documents linked to Jeffrey Epstein.
In a statement, the foundation said the decision was made after careful consideration to keep attention on the summit’s core agenda, noting that Gates would no longer speak at the event.
It added that the foundation remains committed to its health and development initiatives in India.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several technology executives are expected to address opportunities and risks associated with artificial intelligence at the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi on Thursday.
According to the foundation, the president overseeing its Africa and India operations will deliver the address in Gates’s place.
Gates recently said he regrets the time he spent with Epstein, while his former wife, Melinda French Gates, stated that unresolved questions remain about his past association with the late financier.
Newly released documents from the US Justice Department include emails involving Epstein and prominent individuals, revealing alleged friendships, financial dealings and private exchanges.
In one draft email cited in the files, Epstein claimed Gates had engaged in extramarital relationships and alleged he had assisted him in arranging meetings with women. However, inclusion in the documents does not imply wrongdoing.
Gates, a billionaire philanthropist, told 9News Australia that he regrets every moment spent with Epstein and apologised, insisting the alleged email was never sent and describing it as false.
His spokesperson also dismissed the claims following the release of additional investigative files related to Epstein, who died by suicide in prison in 2019, saying the documents only reflect Epstein’s frustration at not maintaining a relationship with Gates and his attempts to damage his reputation.
