Larry Summers Steps Down From OpenAI Board After Epstein Emails Surface
OpenAI and the former Treasury Secretary Lawrence H. Summers announced Wednesday that he will step down from the board of the influential artificial intelligence company. The decision comes just days after Congress made thousands of emails linked to Jeffrey Epstein public, revealing Summers as a frequent correspondent.
“In line with my announcement to step away from my public commitments, I have also decided to resign from the board of OpenAI,” Summers said in a statement.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to have served, excited about the potential of the company and look forward to following their progress.”
OpenAI’s board confirmed his departure, noting in its announcement, “We appreciate his many contributions and the perspective he brought to the board.”
The move adds OpenAI to the growing list of institutions now distancing themselves from figures connected to Epstein, the disgraced financier who, according to authorities, died by suicide in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
The recently released trove of more than 20,000 emails referenced a number of high-profile names, including President Trump and filmmaker Woody Allen, thrusting renewed scrutiny on those who interacted with Epstein long after his criminal history was publicly known. Summers told CNBC on Monday that he regrets his actions.
“I am deeply ashamed of my actions and recognize the pain they have caused. I take full responsibility for my misguided decision to continue communicating with Mr. Epstein.”
Summers entered OpenAI’s orbit in 2023, joining the board at a moment of internal chaos after the surprise ouster of chief executive Sam Altman. Alongside directors Bret Taylor and Adam D’Angelo, he played a key role in reinstating Altman and expanding the board to include five independent members.
His presence was intended to bolster the company’s governance as OpenAI evolved from a mission-driven nonprofit hybrid into a major force in the tech industry.
Since then, OpenAI has attracted tens of billions of dollars in private investment and deepened its relationship with federal agencies. Just last month, the company completed a long-anticipated restructuring that formalized its transition into a conventional for-profit entity, a shift designed to support the massive capital requirements of cutting-edge artificial intelligence research. The company’s valuation now exceeds $500 billion.
Over the past week, Summers has rapidly relinquished a series of leadership and advisory positions. He resigned as chair of the Center for Global Development and stepped down from roles at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, Yale’s Budget Lab, and the Hamilton Project at the Brookings Institution.
Harvard University, where Summers teaches economics and once served as president, said it would launch a review into his and other officials’ connections to Epstein and “evaluate what actions may be warranted.”
Despite the controversy, Summers appeared before his class at Harvard on Tuesday, where he directly addressed students about the uproar.
“Some of you will have seen my statement of regret, expressing my shame with respect to what I did with Mr. Epstein. But I think it’s very important that I fulfill my teaching obligations.”
The emails released by Congress show that Epstein and Summers exchanged messages from 2017 to 2019, ranging from personal chatter to political commentary. The correspondence also included disparaging remarks about women’s intelligence and repeated discussions about former President Trump.
In some messages, Summers appeared to seek Epstein’s advice on pursuing a romantic relationship with Keyu Jin, a mentee and former professor at the London School of Economics. Dr. Jin’s father, Jin Liqun, is a prominent Chinese banking executive and former senior Communist Party official.
Summers’s abrupt departure adds yet another twist to a turbulent period for OpenAI, whose rapid ascent has been matched only by the volatility surrounding its leadership.
As the ripples from the Epstein documents continue to spread, institutions around the world are grappling with the implications and Summers, once a towering figure in economic and academic circles, now finds himself at the center of a widening reckoning.
Moumita Basuroychowdhury is a Contributing Reporter at The National Digest. After earning an economics degree at Cornell University, she moved to NYC to pursue her MFA in creative writing. She enjoys reporting on science, business and culture news. You can reach her at moumita.b@thenationaldigest.com.