Phoebe Gates’ Secretive Stanford Class Puts Her in the Spotlight

Phoebe Gates is facing renewed attention over her time at Stanford University after reports revealed that the daughter of billionaire Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates participated in a secretive, invitation-only course focused on understanding power structures. The course, reportedly called “So You Think You Can Rule the World?”, has drawn interest as Gates’ startup, Phia, faces scrutiny over allegations involving its use of affiliate-tracking technology.

Inside Stanford’s Secretive “Rule” Course

The unofficial 10-week Stanford course reportedly admitted only 12 students at a time, with six men and six women selected through a referral-based process. Students reportedly discussed topics involving money, power, incentives and the ways people can navigate complex systems. The Stanford Daily previously reported on the course and its unusual structure.

The course was led by Justin Lewis-Weber, a Stanford graduate and technology entrepreneur. Former participants have described the program as an unconventional environment that examined how power operates and how individuals can influence systems. However, reports do not establish that the course taught or encouraged illegal conduct.

Phia Faces Scrutiny

Attention on Gates’ Stanford experience has intensified because of controversy surrounding Phia, the AI-powered shopping assistant she co-founded with Sophia Kianni. Reports have alleged that the company used “cookie stuffing,” a practice in which tracking cookies can improperly claim credit for purchases and generate affiliate commissions. Phia has said that features causing misattributions were removed and that it was reviewing affected transactions.

Internal messages reported by Bloomberg have also raised questions about when the company’s founders became aware of the disputed tracking practices. Gates and Kianni have not been charged with a crime, and allegations involving the startup remain separate from Gates’ participation in the Stanford course.

Gates’ Path From Stanford to Startup Founder

Gates graduated from Stanford in 2024 with a degree in human biology before building Phia with Kianni. The company attracted prominent celebrity investors and significant venture funding, helping establish Gates as a rising figure in the technology and fashion-shopping space.

Gates has previously acknowledged the advantages that came with being the daughter of Bill and Melinda French Gates while saying she wanted to build an identity of her own. Her involvement in the unusual Stanford course is now receiving additional attention because of the controversy surrounding Phia.

For now, there is no evidence that participation in the Stanford course caused or directly inspired the alleged practices at Phia. The renewed scrutiny instead highlights the unusual intersection of elite education, startup culture, wealth and the challenges Gates faces as she attempts to establish herself independently of her family name.

Source : nypost.com