Phoebe Gates accused of lowballing influencer for AI startup advert

Bill Gates’ nepo child is getting cyber-spanked for allegedly “gaslighting” an influencer with a lowball proposition. 

Phoebe Gates, 23, the co-founder of AI purchasing software Phia and a billionairess on a “super limited” funds, is the web’s No. 1 enemy after Kacie Margis, a content material creator for rent, claimed she tried to e-book her for a job with the corporate for lower than her $250 price. 

Now, incensed social media savages are labeling the Microsoft princess — whose dad boasts a web price of roughly $103 billion — a “cancer” and “grifting a–hole” for her presumed penny-pinching.  

“When a billionaire’s daughter says the budget is ‘super limited’ and it’s a ‘scrappy little startup’ to try to pay me less than what my posted rates are,” Margis, a mannequin and way of life tastemaker from Orange County, California, ranted to Threads this week. 

For proof, the bombshell shared a screenshot of an obvious Instagram direct message from Phoebe, despatched in April 2025, minimizing the profitability of Phia. The New York-based model, reportedly valued at roughly $180 million, encompasses a price-comparison bot geared toward serving to style followers rating discounted offers on secondhand couture. 

And it appears Phoebe can also be intent on saving a buck or two. 

“Hey love! I came across your profile on Collabstr and I’m such a fan of your content. I’m the founder of @Phiaco — we’re launching at the end of this month (!!) and I’d be sooo honored if you’d be down to collab and help share,” reads the message, allegedly dispatched from Phoebe’s verified social media account. 

“We’re still a scrappy startup so budget’s super limited, but we’d still work if you’re open,” continued the message, partially. “Feel free to send your rates.”

But Margis refused to take the “send your rates” bait. 

“She found me on a site called Collabstr, where brands can book creators,” the skeptical siren defined on Threads. “My rates are publicly listed on the platform, but instead of booking me there, she sent a private message trying to negotiate me down.”

And, sadly for Phoebe, on-line audiences agreed. 

“INSANE that she didn’t want to pay you $250. We are done letting these billionaire grifting a–holes off the hook. Proud of you for calling her out,” barked a commenter in assist of Margis. 

“Phoebe Gates also just flat out steals other startups ideas, IP, marketing, etc … on top of leveraging creators to work for free. She’s honestly a cancer in the sustainable fashion space,” wrote an equally irked critic. 

“Her last post is her wearing Tiffany bracelets. Girl sell them to fund your ‘scrappy startup,’” one other spat, punctuating their disdain with the vomit emoji. “Disrespectful to you, to women, to anyone building a company.”

“‘Hey love!’ gaslighting is next level,” famous one other. 

“Go to hell, Phoebe. You and your raggedy daddy,” a hater mentioned. 

The avalanche of backlash comes amid Gates’ explosive intercourse scandal tied to convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. 

Phoebe has labored to distance her budding enterprise from the chaos. 

She admitted to refusing cash from Gates, 70, to make sure Phia has “no ties to my privilege or my last name” throughout a current look on Yahoo Finance’s “Opening Bid Unfiltered” podcast. 

“I have a chip on my shoulder,” mentioned Phoebe, describing her willpower to succeed by way of benefit quite than inheritance or legacy. “The chip on my shoulder is not only proving myself but building something, you know, novel and unique that consumers actually love.”

The wannabe self-made mogul did, nevertheless, reveal her father’s largest biz recommendation, saying, “From my dad, I’ve really learned that your team is the core of what you’re building.”

“You can’t do anything without an incredible team.”