Bill Gates' AI Summit speech cancelled: Ankur Vora to address, Gates Foundation announces

Important information has emerged regarding Bill Gates' participation in the AI ​​Summit. The Gates Foundation has announced that Bill Gates will no longer be attending the event. This information was shared by the Gates Foundation's India unit. The statement stated that this decision was made after careful consideration to ensure full focus on the summit's core priorities.

Ankur Vora will address in Gates' place.

However, the Gates Foundation's participation in the event will continue. Ankur Vora, head of the foundation's Africa and India offices, will address the summit later today. The foundation also clarified that this change was made in keeping with the program's direction and primary agenda.

The AI ​​Summit is a global forum discussing issues, innovation, and partnerships related to artificial intelligence. There was speculation about Bill Gates' absence, but the Foundation's official statement has clarified the situation. All eyes will now be on what issues related to AI and global development Ankur Vora highlights in his address.

There was uncertainty about Gates' participation.

There was confusion about Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates' participation in the AI ​​Impact Summit, which began on February 16th. Gates' name was listed as a keynote speaker on the summit's official website. However, his name was suddenly removed from the list on Tuesday morning, leading to speculation that Gates would not attend.

Amidst the controversy, the Gates Foundation confirmed Bill Gates' participation in an X-post on Tuesday. It stated that he would attend the summit and deliver his keynote address as scheduled. The foundation stated that there was no change to his participation.

Bill Gates was scheduled to deliver his keynote address on February 19th. According to the schedule, he was allotted 12 minutes of time at 11:50 am on February 19th.

Ashwini Vaishnav's Statement on Bill Gates

When Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnav, who is leading the summit, was asked about Bill Gates at a press conference, he dismissed it as a "personal choice" instead of giving a direct answer. He said, "I forget who is coming and who is not. It's a personal choice, and I don't need to comment on it."

There is talk that there is some hesitation in government circles due to Bill Gates' name appearing in files related to Jeffrey Epstein. Although Gates has not been accused of any wrongdoing, records released by the US Department of Justice mention some old claims, which Gates' spokesperson has already dismissed as completely absurd.

Gates met with the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh

Bill Gates arrived in India on Monday. He began his tour in Vijayawada, where he met with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan. During the meeting, he praised the state government's health and technology initiatives. He was expected to leave for New Delhi soon to attend the summit.

Participation of over 100 countries in the AI ​​Summit

The AI ​​Impact Summit is being held in New Delhi from February 16th to 20th. Representatives from over 100 countries are participating in the summit. Heads of state and over 50 ministers from 15-20 countries, including French President Emmanuel Macron and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, will participate. The "AI Impact Expo" is being held in the 70,000 square meter area of ​​Bharat Mandapam, with over 300 companies participating. Visitors will be able to see how AI works in real life through live demos. After being inaugurated by the Prime Minister, the expo opened to the public on February 17th.