Bill Gates abruptly withdrew from a keynote address at India’s high-profile AI summit just hours before his scheduled appearance, as intensifying scrutiny over his historical connections to deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein continues to damage his public standing. Gates Foundation Offers Vague Explanation for Summit Withdrawal Bill Gates canceled his scheduled keynote address at the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi on Thursday, with the Gates Foundation providing only a procedural explanation. The foundation’s statement emphasized ensuring “the focus remains on the AI Summit’s key priorities” without addressing the timing of the withdrawal or underlying concerns. Gates offered no personal statement regarding his decision to skip the high-visibility international technology event, which featured world leaders including French President Emmanuel Macron and U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres. Epstein Controversy Creates Ongoing Reputational Damage Gates faces persistent questions about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender who died in federal custody in 2019. The Microsoft co-founder met with Epstein multiple times after Epstein’s 2008 guilty plea to soliciting prostitution from a minor, meetings that Gates has acknowledged but characterized as focused on philanthropy. The resurfacing scrutiny appears to have influenced Gates’ decision to withdraw from the India summit, though neither Gates nor his foundation explicitly confirmed this connection in public statements. India’s AI Summit Plagued by Multiple Problems The India AI Impact Summit has encountered significant organizational failures beyond Gates’ withdrawal. Event attendees reported long lines, operational delays, and stolen personal belongings on Monday when the summit opened. On Wednesday, organizers expelled a private Indian university from the summit after officials discovered the institution falsely claimed a commercially available Chinese-made robotic dog as its own innovation. These setbacks undermine India’s effort to position itself as a credible global AI hub capable of attracting the massive technology investments Prime Minister Narendra Modi is pursuing. Major technology companies have committed substantial resources to India’s AI development, with Microsoft pledging $17.5 billion over four years, Google committing $15 billion over five years, and Amazon announcing $35 billion by 2030. Gates’ absence from discussions about democratizing AI technology for developing nations represents a missed opportunity for India to leverage his foundation’s extensive work in global development and technology access. The withdrawal diminishes the summit’s international stature at a critical moment when India seeks to establish credibility as a central player in the global AI ecosystem. Pattern of Elite Accountability Avoidance Raises Concerns Gates’ withdrawal reflects a broader pattern where wealthy elites facing uncomfortable questions about past associations simply avoid public scrutiny rather than provide transparent explanations. The Gates Foundation’s vague statement about maintaining summit focus serves as deflection rather than addressing legitimate public interest in understanding why Gates maintained contact with a convicted sex offender. For Americans who value accountability and transparency, this incident demonstrates how billionaire philanthropists can sidestep difficult questions by withdrawing from commitments without facing meaningful consequences or pressure to explain their decision-making. Bill Gates Pulls Out Of High-Profile Indian AI Summit As Epstein Fallout Accelerates https://t.co/ws5fa60CVx — zerohedge (@zerohedge) February 19, 2026 The summit continues without Gates’ participation, but the withdrawal adds another complication to an event already struggling with credibility issues. International attendees lose access to perspectives from one of technology’s most influential figures, while India’s government faces embarrassment over the high-profile cancellation. The incident underscores how reputational concerns stemming from associations with figures like Epstein can disrupt even major international technology forums, regardless of how many years have passed since the controversial relationships occurred. Sources: Bill Gates Foundation on Withdrawal from India AI Summit – Fortune