Bill Gates has cancelled his keynote speech at an AI summit in India on Thursday as the billionaire faces renewed scrutiny over his ties with disgraced Jeffrey Epstein.
The decision to withdraw from the AI Impact Summit just hours before the event was confirmed by the Gates foundation. He was due to address delegates, including French President Emmanuel Macron and Mukesh Ambani, as reported by CNN.
According to a statement issued by the foundation, “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.”
However, his foundation did not provide an explicit reason for this decision.
Just two days before the cancellation, the organization has confirmed Bill Gates’ participation in the AI summit.
“Bill Gates is attending the AI Impact Summit. He will be delivering his keynote as scheduled,” the organization posted on X on Tuesday.
But, the speculation is that the recently released Epstein-related documents and controversy linked to it could be the reason for his sudden withdrawal from the summit.
The US Department of Justice released around three million Epstein files in late January. The cache of documents brought to light the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s ties to high-profile figures including Bill Gates.
The founder of Microsoft has come under fire when the files revealed Bill Gates’ relationship with the notorious financier, including allegation that Epstein facilitated sexual encounters for Gates.
The emails also exposed Gates’ intimate relations with “Russian girls” and his sexually transmitted infection.
The 70-year-old has strongly denied these claims as “false” and expressed remorse over his close association with Jeffrey Epstein.
“Every minute I spent with him, I regret,” Gates told Australian news outlet 9News earlier this month.
AI Impact Summit is currently underway in New Delhi and has been dubbed as one of the biggest AI conferences in the Global South.
