Bill Gates withdrew from India’s AI Impact Summit hours before his scheduled keynote on Thursday, 19 February 2026, following renewed scrutiny over his ties to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The Gates Foundation said the decision was made “to ensure the focus remains on the AI Summit’s key priorities.” Only days earlier, the foundation had confirmed Gates’ attendance. Ankur Vora, president of the foundation’s Africa and India offices, delivered the keynote in his place.

Gates’ cancellation came after the U.S. Department of Justice released emails last month that included communications between Epstein and Gates Foundation staff. The documents indicate Gates and Epstein met after Epstein’s 2008 conviction, primarily discussing Gates’ philanthropic efforts. Gates has denied any improper conduct, calling his interactions with Epstein a mistake limited to philanthropy-related discussions.

The summit, billed as the first major AI forum in the Global South, has been overshadowed by organizational issues. Attendees reported closed exhibition halls, traffic disruptions, and incidents such as a university stall presenting a commercial robotic dog as its own creation.

The event still attracted more than $200 billion in investment pledges for AI infrastructure in India. Reliance Industries announced a $110 billion plan, and Tata Consultancy Services partnered with OpenAI to build hyperscale AI data centres. Other tech leaders present included Google CEO Sundar Pichai, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron addressed the summit, highlighting AI’s potential and the need for safeguards in areas such as child safety online.

Experts noted the summit highlighted both opportunities and challenges, including job market disruptions and environmental concerns over the energy demands of AI data centres.