Controversy over participation of Bill Gates at AI impact Summit
A controversy erupted on Tuesday over the attendance of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates at the world’s biggest AI summit who became a topic of speculation on Tuesday, following conflicting reports. The Government sources initially stated he would not attend amid allegations surrounding his alleged links to the Epstein files, but a spokesperson for the Gates Foundation quickly contradicted to say he is indeed participating.
Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting, and Electronics & Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw, who is leading the AI show, did not give a direct reply to reporters at a scheduled press conference when asked about Gates’ participation. He, however, gave reasons for Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang pulling out of the summit at the last moment. “I forgot (like) many other things, regarding who’s attending, who’s not attending,” he said in response to questions on the participation of Gates. “That’s personal choices which people make... I need not comment on that.”
Gates featured among the tech moguls, industry leaders, policymakers, founders, and technologists participating as speakers on the official website of the AI Impact Summit, underway in the national capital from February 16. On Tuesday morning, his name went missing from the key participants’ list.
Government sources in the morning suggested that Gates will not attend the Summit as his name figures in the files relating to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, and may create some discomfort. However, a spokesperson for his foundation said, “Bill Gates is attending the AI Impact Summit. He will be delivering his keynote as scheduled”.He was listed as a keynote speaker on February 19 - the day all the bigwigs will descend at Bharat Mandapam. He was given a 12-minute speaking slot at 1150 hours. The key participant list was decided months in advance, while the Epstein file revelations have been made in recent weeks. While Gates has not been accused of wrongdoing by any of Epstein’s victims, records released by the US justice department include an allegation by Epstein that Bill Gates caught a sexually transmitted disease. Gates’s spokesperson had previously called the claim “absolutely absurd”. Late last week, Nvidia said its CEO, Jensen Huang, would not travel to India to attend the Summit. Huang was one of the biggest attractions at the Summit. While the company had not given any reason for the move, some had linked it to the presence of Gates at the event.
Asked about his absence, Vaishnaw said, “Jansen reached out to us, and he said that because of something really unavoidable... He was very keen to work through. But he has deputed a very senior executive to join us”. He reiterated that some people not attending was their personal choice. “I would not like to comment on it.”
Nvidia, he said, is also working with some Indian companies. “I cannot share the names at this point in time, for some very large investments in AI. They are also working with some software companies for developing many use cases,” he added.
Gates arrived in India on Monday. His first stop during the visit was Vijayawada, where he met Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister K Pawan Kalyan, and senior state Government officials.Ministers Nara Lokesh, Vangalapudi Anitha, K Archannaidu, and Y Satya Kumar had welcomed Gates at the Vijayawada international airport on Monday.
