Larry Summers Resigns from OpenAI Board Following Epstein Email Revelations

Former US Treasury Secretary Larry Summers has announced his resignation from OpenAI's board of directors, according to statements released by both the ChatGPT developer and Summers' office.

The resignation follows the public disclosure of emails revealing Summers maintained a cordial relationship with Jeffrey Epstein well after the financier's 2008 guilty plea for soliciting prostitution from a minor.

In their official statement, the OpenAI board acknowledged, "Larry has decided to resign from the OpenAI Board of Directors, and we respect his decision. We appreciate his many contributions and the perspective he brought to the Board."

The announcement came just one day after Summers publicly declared his intention to step back from his various public commitments.

"In line with my announcement to step away from my public commitments, I have also decided to resign from the board of OpenAI," Summers stated through his spokesperson, Kelly Friendly. "I am grateful for the opportunity to have served, excited about the potential of the company, and look forward to following their progress."

Summers, who previously served as Harvard University's president, joined OpenAI's board in November 2023 as part of an effort to stabilize the organization and facilitate CEO Sam Altman's return after his unexpected firing by previous board members just days earlier.

Epstein, who died by suicide while in custody, was a convicted sex offender known for his connections to numerous wealthy and influential individuals. His case has continued to generate significant controversy and has become central to various conspiracy theories concerning impropriety among American elites.