Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates on Thursday skipped the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi even as his Gates Foundation on Wednesday said he would deliver his keynote speech as planned at the event amid public scrutiny he faces over his ties with child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
“After careful consideration, and to ensure the focus remains on the AI Summit’s key priorities, Mr Gates will not be delivering his keynote address. The Gates Foundation will be represented by Ankur Vora, President of Africa and India Offices, who will speak later today [Thursday] at the Summit. The Gates Foundation remains fully committed to our work in India to advance our shared health and development goals,” said a Gates Foundation statement posted on X.
An Information Technology ministry official said Gates withdrew on his own, and there was no pressure from the Indian government in light of his ties to child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. A second official said the government did not initiate the decision, but there was a view that the summit’s message could not be put at risk by the possibility of protests against Gates, who was in Mumbai a day earlier.
According to US Department of Justice documents, Gates met Epstein multiple times between 2011 and 2014, years after Epstein’s 2008 conviction for soliciting a minor.
Gates has acknowledged that meeting Epstein was a mistake, expressing regret and describing the interactions as “foolish,” while denying any wrongdoing or participation in Epstein’s criminal activities.
www.hindustantimes.com
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