Bill Gates, Jensen Huang Pull Out of India’s AI Impact Summit Amid Controversy

India’s ambitious bid to position itself as a leading voice in global artificial intelligence governance suffered a setback on Thursday after Bill Gates withdrew from the country’s AI Impact Summit just hours before his scheduled keynote address.

The cancellation came as a blow to organisers of what was billed as the first major AI forum in the Global South. Gates’ absence was quickly followed by another high-profile withdrawal from Jensen Huang, further dampening the summit’s opening day.

In a statement, the Gates Foundation said the billionaire philanthropist would not deliver his address “to ensure the focus remains on the AI Summit’s key priorities.” The decision surprised many observers, particularly as the foundation had only days earlier dismissed rumours of his possible absence.

Gates’ withdrawal follows renewed scrutiny after the U.S. Department of Justice released emails last month containing communication between the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and staff at the Gates Foundation. Gates has previously acknowledged meeting Epstein, describing it as a mistake, and insisting that the interactions were limited to philanthropy-related discussions.

The summit, already marred by reports of organisational lapses, controversy involving a robotics showcase, and complaints of heavy traffic congestion, was intended to highlight India’s growing influence in global AI discussions.

Despite the setbacks, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered a keynote address calling for stronger safeguards for children on AI platforms. Sharing the stage with French President Emmanuel Macron, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, Modi stressed the need for greater vigilance in the rapidly evolving AI landscape.

“We must be even more vigilant about children’s safety. Just as a school syllabus is curated, the AI space should also be child- and family-guided,” Modi said.

An awkward moment unfolded during a symbolic group photo on stage when Altman and Amodei, leaders of rival AI firms stood side by side but refrained from holding hands, even as other executives linked arms in a show of unity.

The developments have cast a shadow over the summit’s ambitions, raising questions about whether India’s effort to spearhead AI governance discussions in the Global South can overcome its early challenges.