Billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates did not deliver a scheduled keynote address at an artificial intelligence summit in India after renewed attention focused on his past relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Gates had been listed as a keynote speaker representing the Gates Foundation, the nonprofit he co-founded. Shortly before he was set to speak, the foundation announced that he would no longer appear onstage.
In a statement, the organization said the decision followed careful consideration and was intended to keep attention on the summit’s core agenda. It said the foundation would still be represented by another senior official and stressed that its ongoing programs in India remain unaffected.
The development comes as discussions have resurfaced regarding Gates’s prior meetings with Epstein. Epstein was convicted in 2008 for sex crimes involving a minor and later died in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal charges.
Gates has previously described his interactions with Epstein as a mistake and has expressed regret over having met with him. Spokespersons for Gates have denied wrongdoing and rejected recent claims linked to newly circulated materials as false.
While there are no allegations of criminal conduct against Gates, the renewed scrutiny has revived public debate about the duration and nature of his association with Epstein after the financier’s conviction.
The AI summit brought together government officials, technology leaders, and researchers to discuss artificial intelligence and its role in development and policy. Despite Gates’s absence, the Gates Foundation reiterated its commitment to its health and development initiatives in India.
The cancellation underscores how ongoing questions about Epstein’s network continue to draw attention to high-profile figures who had past connections with him, even years after his death.
