Bill Gates will deliver the keynote at the India AI Impact Summit, refuting rumors of a no-show
The Gates Foundation dismissed allegations from the unsealed 2013 Epstein files as "absurd and false"
Gates arrive in India, met Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu and IT Minister Nara Lokesh
Microsoft founder Bill Gates will attend the India AI Impact Summit and deliver his keynote as scheduled, his foundation confirmed on Tuesday, refuting speculation that he would skip the event.
A foundation spokesperson told ANI that Gates, who chairs the organisation, remains committed to attending and speaking at the summit.
3 February 2026
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The clarification from the Gates Foundation came amid several reports claiming that the tech leader won’t attend the summit after being named in the Epstein files. The claims got fueled after Gates' name was absent from the summit website.
Gates Arrives in India
Ahead of the summit in Delhi, Gates arrived in Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh, on Monday. He was received at the airport by state minister Nara Lokesh, who said discussions would focus on expanding partnerships in health, agriculture, education and technology-driven governance.
In an X post, Lokesh noted, "Welcome to Amaravati, Mr. Bill Gates. It was a pleasure to receive the Chair of the Gates Foundation at Gannavaram Airport today, along with my colleagues Home Minister Smt. Anitha Garu, Agriculture Minister Sri Atchannaidu Garu & Health Minister Sri Satya Kumar Garu. We have now proceeded to the Secretariat for discussions on strengthening partnerships in health, agriculture, education, and technology-driven governance. Andhra Pradesh looks forward to working closely with the Gates Foundation to create scalable, impactful solutions for our people."
Gates in Epstein Files
The clarification comes after the United States Department of Justice released documents related to Epstein in January 2026. Among them was a 2013 email attributed to Epstein that made allegations against Gates, which his spokesperson dismissed as “absurd and completely false.”
The documents also referenced Epstein advising Gates on philanthropy and included photos showing Gates with prominent figures such as Sergey Brin.
In a February 2026 interview with 9News Australia, Gates said he regretted meeting Epstein and apologised, while maintaining that their interactions were limited to philanthropic discussions and denying any wrongdoing.
