Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates pulled out of India’s AI Impact Summit just hours before he was scheduled to address the event with a keynote speech. The Gates Foundation said in a statement that the decision was made “to ensure the focus remains on the AI summit’s key priorities.”
Rumors had been swirling about Gates’ attendance throughout the week owing to renewed scrutiny over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein. However, just days ago, the foundation confirmed the tech leader was still planning to attend the event.
Gates’ withdrawal comes weeks after the U.S. Department of Justice released emails revealing contact between Gates Foundation staff and Epstein, the late financier and convicted sex offender. The correspondence suggested the two had participated in a series of meetings following Epstein’s release from prison, focused on Gates’ charitable ambitions. Gates has maintained that his dealings with Epstein were limited to discussions about his charitable work, and has said meeting him was an error of judgment.
The foundation told Fortune that it will be represented by Ankur Vora, president of its Africa and India offices, at the summit, and said it “remains fully committed to our work in India to advance our shared health and development goals.”
