New Delhi, 17 Feb

Confusion prevailed on Tuesday over Microsoft Co-Founder Bill Gates attending the high-profile AI Impact Summit with government sources saying he will not attend the meeting while a spokesperson of his foundation contradicted, saying he is.

Gates featured among the tech moguls, industry leaders, policymakers, founders, and technologists listed as speakers on the official website of the AI Impact Summit, underway in the national capital from 16-20 February.

But the summit website on Tuesday did not show his name.

Government sources said Gates will not be attending the Summit.

The move, they say, is linked to Gates being named in new files relating to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

While Gates has not been accused of wrongdoing by any of Epstein's victims, records released by the US justice department include an allegation by Epstein thatBill Gates caught a sexually transmitted disease.

Gates's spokesperson has called the claim "absolutely absurd".

Late last week, Nvidia said its CEO Jensen Huang will not travel to India to attend the Summit. Huang was one of the biggest attractions at the Summit.

While the company had not given any reason for the move, some had linked it to the presence of Gates at the event.

Gates arrived in India on Monday. His first stop during the visit was Vijayawada where he met Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister K Pawan Kalyan, and senior state government officials.

Ministers Nara Lokesh, Vangalapudi Anitha, K Archannaidu, and Y Satya Kumar had welcomed Gates at the Vijayawada international airport on Monday.