Microsoft Corp. co-founder Bill Gates withdrew from the India AI Impact Summit 2026 just hours before he was scheduled to deliver a keynote, marking the second high-profile cancellation at the event.
Bill Gates Cancels India AI Summit Appearance
On Thursday, the Gates Foundation said the decision was made “after careful consideration” to ensure the spotlight remains on the summit’s core priorities.
In a post on X, the organization added that the move was intended to keep the focus on the conference’s AI agenda, without providing further details.
The withdrawal comes amid renewed scrutiny over Gates’ past association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, prompting speculation that controversy could overshadow the foundation’s philanthropic work and the summit itself.
Gates had been slated as a marquee speaker at the high-profile AI gathering, which aims to showcase India’s growing role in artificial intelligence.
Jensen Huang Also Skips AI Impact Summit
Gates’ cancellation follows that of Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:NVDA) CEO Jensen Huang, who was also expected to attend.
During a press briefing on Tuesday, Vishal Dhupar, Nvidia’s managing director for South Asia, said Huang had been traveling for three consecutive weeks and had fallen ill.
“He’s under the weather,” Dhupar said, adding that Nvidia is thrilled to have Jay Puri, the company’s executive vice president of worldwide field operations, leading the delegation in India.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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