OpenAI’s Larry Summers has resigned from his position as the creator of ChatGPT following the revelation of his correspondence with the late convicted child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. This decision was prompted by the surfacing of emails showing Summers’ continued friendly association with Epstein even after the latter’s 2008 conviction for child sex crimes.
The announcement of Summers’ departure came shortly after he had indicated a step back from his public duties. In a statement released through his spokesperson Kelly Friendly, Summers expressed gratitude for his time at OpenAI and his anticipation of the organization’s future progress. His tenure on the OpenAI board began in November 2023 as part of efforts to stabilize the organization and reinstate Sam Altman as CEO after the previous board ousted Altman.
Summers, who previously held roles such as US Treasury Secretary under President Bill Clinton and President of Harvard University, expressed deep regret for his actions and the resulting harm they caused. Meanwhile, Epstein, a deceased convicted sex offender, was infamous for his high-profile connections and was central to various controversies and conspiracy theories surrounding elites in the US.
The issue of releasing the Epstein Files became a point of contention between the White House and Republican factions, with President Trump ultimately changing course due to internal party dissent and the likelihood of the bill’s passage to make the files public.