Bill Gates has become a source of controversy at this week’s high-profile India AI Impact Summit, as speculation around his planned keynote address ultimately ended with his withdrawal at the last minute.
The drama comes as the Microsoft co-founder receives public backlash for his past relationship with deceased financier and sex predator Jeffrey Epstein — with more details on the two men’s years of communications revealed in the Department of Justice’s file drop last month.
The Gates Foundation India on Thursday said the billionaire would skip the address ”[a]fter careful consideration, and to ensure the focus remains on the AI Summit’s key priorities,” adding that he would be replaced by another foundation representative.
The official announcement capped a back-and-forth saga that began earlier this week when local Indian media pointed out that Gates’ name had been removed from some of the summit’s public-facing materials.
Government sources later briefed the media that Gates was not expected to attend the event. However, the Gates Foundation issued a conflicting message on Wednesday, insisting that he was participating “as planned” before the recent reversal.
