The Gates Exit: Why the AI Summit Lost its Keynote

The optics were meant to be flawless. A high-wattage "family photo" at Bharat Mandapam, the unveiling of the MANAV Vision, and a keynote by the world’s most famous philanthropist. Instead, the India AI Impact Summit 2026 has become a study in friction.

On Thursday morning, just hours before he was to take the stage, Bill Gates vanished from the schedule. The official line from the Gates Foundation was sanitized: a move "to ensure the focus remains on the AI Summit's key priorities."

But was it the summit’s priorities, or the billionaire’s baggage that forced the retreat?

The Shadow of the Epstein Files

The timing is impossible to ignore. The late-January release of the latest "Epstein Files" by the U.S. Department of Justice has reignited a firestorm that the Gates PR machine has struggled to douse.

The documents, containing draft emails and allegations of "illicit trysts," have created a toxic atmosphere. While Gates has called the claims "false" and "absurd," the fallout in New Delhi was swift. Reports suggest government sources reviewed the invitation, concluding that standing with "survivors" was more vital than a 12-minute keynote.

Can a summit on "Ethical AI" survive the presence of a figure currently mired in the ultimate ethical controversy?

Organizational Chaos: From Traffic to "Orion"

The Gates exit is the apex of a broader systemic collapse at the venue. Day 1 saw 80,000 people descend on a system built for half that capacity. QR codes failed, gates were locked, and delegates were left stranded in the February heat.

Then came the Galgotias University farce. The display of a Chinese Unitree Go2 robot dog—rebranded as "Orion" and claimed as an in-house creation—was more than a PR blunder. It was a symptom of a summit where "projection" was prioritized over "production."

When MeitY Secretary S. Krishnan cut the power to the Galgotias stall, he wasn't just unplugging a robot; he was attempting to unplug a growing narrative of mediocrity.

The Stakeholders: Who Gains?

With Gates out and Nvidia’s Jensen Huang "under the weather," the stage was left to OpenAI’s Sam Altman and Reliance’s Mukesh Ambani.

• India’s Advantage: By distancing itself from Gates, the government reinforces its "Digital Sovereignty" narrative—moving away from Western "saviors" toward indigenous models.

• The Foundation’s Loss: The Gates Foundation now operates from the shadows of its Africa and India offices, its "moral authority" significantly diminished.

What Happens Next?

The India AI Impact Summit will likely be remembered not for the policies it drafted, but for the chaos it couldn't control. As PM Modi pushes the MANAV Vision (Moral, Accountable, National, Aligned, Vital), the gap between the vision and the venue remains wide.

Will India’s AI future be built on "genuine work," as MeitY promises, or will it be overshadowed by the ghosts of global elites and rebranded Chinese hardware? The answer lies in whether the next summit prioritizes the science over the spectacle.

FAQ

• Why did Bill Gates cancel his keynote? Officially, to keep the focus on AI. Unofficially, due to the controversy surrounding the recent "Epstein Files" release.

• Who replaced Bill Gates at the summit?Ankur Vora, President of Africa and India Offices for the Gates Foundation.

• What was the robot dog controversy? Galgotias University presented a Chinese-made robot (Unitree Go2) as their own "Orion" model, leading to their eviction from the expo.

• What is the MANAV Vision? A framework for human-centric AI governance focusing on Ethics, Accountability, and National Sovereignty.