Bill Gates Attendance at India AI Impact Summit 2026 Sparks Confusion, Gates Foundation Confirms Keynote Address

Key Points:

The five-day India AI Impact Summit is being held from February 16 to February 20, 2026. While the event continued smoothly, its opening day was marked by confusion and organisational problems. The summit features participation from several global leaders, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, French President Emmanuel Macron, and more than 20 heads of state and government, highlighting its international importance.

Amid the presence of these prominent figures, there was widespread speculation and confusion over the attendance of American businessman and philanthropist, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates. Conflicting reports emerged, with some claiming he would not attend due to renewed controversy linked to the Epstein files, while others suggested he would be present.

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Government sources initially indicated that Gates’ participation was under review following fresh scrutiny related to recently released documents connected to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. The uncertainty deepened when Union Minister for Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw, who is overseeing the summit, declined to give a clear answer to reporters. He described attendance as a “personal choice” and avoided commenting specifically on Gates.

Adding to the confusion, NDTV reported that Gates’ name had briefly disappeared from the official list of keynote speakers on the summit website. However, on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, the Gates Foundation issued an official statement confirming that Bill Gates would attend the India AI Impact Summit and deliver his keynote address as scheduled. The statement praised India’s leadership in artificial intelligence, stating that “AI has become central to India’s vision of Viksit Bharat.”

The foundation clarified that Gates’ name had not been formally removed and dismissed reports suggesting otherwise. It also confirmed that Gates had arrived in India on Monday, February 16, 2026. He began his visit in Vijayawada, where he met Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and other state officials.

See Also: Indian Names in Epstein Files? Big Leaks, Bigger Revelations Ahead as Trump Signs Full-Release Bill

The controversy attracted significant attention on social media, with users sharing mixed reactions. One user wrote, “Bill Gates’ attendance at the AI Summit has become a talking point. There was a time when power stood above scrutiny. Today, stature invites public judgment. The onus is on Gates to prove his bona fides and his hosts to justify their invites.” Another commented, “Whether he will come or not, chances are 60–40. But in the coming days, his PR team might be very active to clean his image.” A third user asked, “Does he himself have no shame to attend it?”

The controversy is linked to renewed attention on the Epstein case, following the release of additional documents involving several high-profile individuals, including Bill Gates and Indian-American filmmaker Mira Nair. After these documents surfaced, many social media users criticised Gates and questioned his past association with the convicted sex offender. Gates has consistently denied all allegations, calling them false and baseless.

Gates also faced backlash after the files alleged that he had contracted a sexually transmitted disease from Russian women and sought Epstein’s help to manage the situation. A viral excerpt from email drafts claimed: “from helping Bill get drugs in order to deal with the consequences of sex with Russian girls, to facilitating his illicit trysts with married women, to being asked to provide Adderall for bridge tournaments.” 

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