Bill Gates Skips India AI Summit at Last Minute
India’s flagship AI Impact Summit faced an early setback on Thursday. This happened after Bill Gates withdrew from his scheduled keynote address just hours before it was due to begin in New Delhi. Soon afterward, Jensen Huang also canceled his participation, which deepened concerns about the event. The summit has already struggled with organizational lapses and mounting criticism over its logistics.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation said that the billionaire philanthropist would not deliver his speech. He could ensure the focus remains on the AI Summit’s key priorities. However, only days earlier, the foundation had dismissed speculation about his absence and confirmed that he is planning to attend the event. His decision follows renewed scrutiny after emails were released by the U.S. Department of Justice last month. It included emails that were exchanged between the foundation’s staff and late financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Modi Urges Child Safety in AI Amid Summit Snub
Despite the cancellations, Narendra Modi addressed the summit alongside Emmanuel Macron, Sundar Pichai, Sam Altman, and Dario Amodei. The Indian Prime Minister urged developers to strengthen protections for young users online. “We must be even more vigilant about children’s safety. Just as a school syllabus is curated, the AI space should also be child- and family-guided”, Modi said.
Meanwhile, an awkward moment on stage drew attention during a group photograph when Sam Altman and Dario Amodei, leaders of rival firms OpenAI and Anthropic, stood beside each other. However, the two did not join hands, even as the others in the group did.
Organizational Lapses, Traffic Chaos Hit India AI Summit
Nevertheless, management challenges have overshadowed India’s attempt to position itself as a leading voice in global AI governance. On Thursday, organizers abruptly closed exhibition halls to the public. It frustrated participating companies that had invested in stalls and presentations. As a result, sections of the venue appeared largely deserted after three days of heavy attendance. Earlier, officials asked a team from Galgotias University to vacate its stall after staff presented a commercially available robotic dog made in China as an in-house innovation. The incident has triggered public criticism online.
At the same time, police restricted several roads for VIP movement, which created widespread disruption across the capital. Social media footage showed delegates walking long distances after taxis became unavailable, and no shuttle services were arranged. Still, organizers announced that firms including Adani Group, Microsoft, and data centre operator Yotta pledged more than $100 billion in AI investments during the summit.
Web Resources on Bill Gates Skipping India AI Summit
1. BBC.com: Bill Gates pulls out of India’s AI summit amid Epstein files controversy
2. CNN.com: Bill Gates cancels AI summit keynote address amid fresh scrutiny over Epstein links
3. Bloomberg.com: Bill Gates Pulls Out of India AI Summit Amid Epstein Criticism
4. AcademicBlock: Melinda Gates Speaks on Epstein Files, Bill Gates Link