Arabic version: بيل غيتس ينسحب من قمة الذكاء الاصطناعي وسط جدل إيبستين
Bill Gates will not deliver his keynote address at the India AI Impact Summit in Delhi, just hours before he was scheduled to speak. His philanthropic organization, the Gates Foundation, announced the decision, citing a desire to keep the focus on the summit’s key priorities, though no further details were provided. This withdrawal comes amid renewed scrutiny of Gates’s past connections to the late Jeffrey Epstein, following the release of new files by the US Department of Justice in January.
In response to the controversy, a spokesperson for Gates labeled the claims in the released files as “absolutely absurd and completely false.” Despite the scrutiny, it is important to note that Gates has not been accused of any wrongdoing related to Epstein, and the mere appearance of his name in the files does not imply any criminal activity.
Ankur Vora, president of the Gates Foundation’s Africa and India offices, will replace Gates as a speaker at the summit. The foundation reiterated its commitment to advancing health and development goals in India, despite Gates’s absence. The summit still features other prominent figures, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei.
The India AI Impact Summit has attracted delegates from more than 100 countries, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron. Both leaders emphasized the importance of democratizing AI and fostering collaboration in innovation. Modi highlighted the need for technology to empower individuals rather than reducing them to mere data points, while Macron urged a shift in the AI dialogue towards collective improvement.
The event, which has already faced some controversies, aims to position India as a global leader in AI. It includes discussions on policy, startup showcases, and closed-door meetings focused on AI governance and infrastructure. Despite Gates’s withdrawal, the summit continues to attract significant investment pledges from major companies, including Microsoft, to enhance AI access in India.
