Coverage dated February 18, 2026

Bill Gates cancels AI summit keynote address amid fresh scrutiny over Epstein links

Headline from KESQ Palm Springs

By Lex Harvey, Esha Mitra, CNN (CNN) — Bill Gates has pulled out of delivering his keynote address at an AI summit in India Thursday, his foundation said, as the billionaire faces scrutiny over his ties to late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

KESQ Palm Springs's own description from its feed. We collect headlines and these descriptions, not full articles; read the original reporting below.

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12 articles, oldest first.

KESQ Palm Springs
Bill Gates cancels AI summit keynote address amid fresh scrutiny over Epstein links (opens KESQ Palm Springs)
Published Feb 18, 2026
KESQ Palm Springs's feed description
By Lex Harvey, Esha Mitra, CNN (CNN) — Bill Gates has pulled out of delivering his keynote address at an AI summit in India Thursday, his foundation said, as the billionaire faces scrutiny over his ties to late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Al Jazeera
Epstein’s shadow: Why Bill Gates pulled out of Modi’s AI summit (opens Al Jazeera)
Published Feb 18, 2026
Al Jazeera's feed description
India’s AI summit was meant to showcase the country’s potential, but controversy and Gates’s exit stole the spotlight.
The Guardian
Bill Gates cancels keynote speech in India amid questions over Epstein ties (opens The Guardian)
Published Feb 18, 2026
The Guardian's feed description
Billionaire Microsoft co-founder pulls out of India’s AI Impact Summit to ‘ensure the focus’ remains on event’s ‘key priorities’
Fortune
Bill Gates has pulled out of India's AI summit amid questions over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein (opens Fortune)
Published Feb 18, 2026
Fortune's feed description
The Microsoft founder's abrupt withdrawal, amid renewed scrutiny over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein, capped a chaotic few days for the event.
Insider
Bill Gates drops out of AI summit as he faces heat over Epstein files (opens Insider)
Published Feb 18, 2026
Insider's feed description
A statement from the Gates Foundation said Bill Gates would not appear to "ensure the focus remains" on the India AI Impact Summit's key priorities.

Identical headlines usually mean shared wire copy. They are counted as separate articles but are not independent confirmation.