India’s highly anticipated AI Impact Summit recently hit a major snag when Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft, abruptly withdrew from his keynote address just hours before he was scheduled to speak. The reason? Growing scrutiny over his past association with the late, convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, intensified by newly released emails from the US Justice Department.
The emails reportedly showed discussions between Gates and Epstein regarding philanthropic efforts, bringing renewed attention to a connection Gates has publicly called a “mistake.” While The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation stated the withdrawal was to keep the focus on the summit’s core priorities, it undoubtedly cast a long shadow.
This wasn’t the only challenge for the six-day event. Despite securing over $200 billion in AI infrastructure investments – including a massive $110 billion pledge from Reliance Industries and a Tata Group partnership with OpenAI – the summit faced a series of organizational issues. Attendees reported frustration with sudden exhibition hall closures, a “robot row” where a Chinese-made dog was falsely claimed as local, and severe traffic disruptions caused by VIP movements. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang also pulled out earlier, adding to the difficulties.
Even amidst the chaos, important discussions took place. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi stressed the need for child safety on AI platforms, and leading AI companies, including OpenAI and Anthropic, launched voluntary principles for responsible AI development. However, the high-profile withdrawal and logistical problems dominated headlines, leaving many to question the summit’s overall execution despite its investment successes. The Indian government has since apologized for the inconveniences.
