AI Impact Summit 2026: Bill Gates will attend the AI Impact Summit 2026 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, the Gates Foundation confirmed, dismissing reports suggesting the Microsoft co-founder would skip the event. Gates remains listed as a key participant alongside top tech leaders, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Google CEO Sundar Pichai. “Bill Gates is attending the AI Impact Summit and will deliver his keynote as scheduled,” a Gates Foundation spokesperson told Media.
Earlier today, reports indicated that Bill Gates, Microsoft’s co-founder, was missing from the list of key attendees on the 2026 AI Impact Summit website. This was interpreted as a possible fallout after his name appeared in the latest tranche of Epstein Files released on January 30.
The AI Impact Summit 2026, a five-day event at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, is the first international AI summit in the Global South, showcasing policy, innovation, and large-scale AI applications. Spread across 10 arenas and 70,000+ sq. metres, it features over 300 exhibition pavilions, live demos, and 13 country pavilions, including Australia, Japan, the UK, France, Germany, and several African nations. The summit’s three thematic “chakras” — People, Planet, and Progress, highlight AI’s impact across sectors.
The AI Summit will host numerous heads of state, ministerial delegations from over 45 countries, the UN Secretary-General, and senior officials from several international organisations, confirmed the Ministry of External Affairs.
Prominent figures attending include Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani, Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. Over five days, more than 500 sessions are scheduled, covering AI safety, governance, ethical deployment, data protection, and India’s vision for sovereign AI.
On the summit’s first day, Monday, the Prime Minister highlighted India’s commitment to responsible and inclusive AI during the inauguration of the expo. He engaged with exhibitors, including startups, researchers, and tech leaders, who demonstrated AI applications across sectors.
Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron is set to discuss India-France cooperation in AI and a potential multibillion-dollar Rafale fighter jet deal. The two leaders will also review the India-France partnership and exchange views on regional and global issues. This comes after Delhi confirmed plans last week for a Rs 3.25 lakh crore order for 114 Rafale jets and a landmark trade agreement with the European Union signed in January.
