Ex-US treasury chief quits OpenAI board after Jeffrey Epstein emails release

Larry Summers joined the board in November 2023 (Michael Dwyer/AP)

Former US treasury secretary Larry Summers is resigning from OpenAI’s board of directors, the ChatGPT maker has said.

Mr Summers’ departure comes after the release of emails showing he maintained a friendly relationship with Jeffrey Epstein long after the financier pleaded guilty to soliciting prostitution from an underage girl in 2008.

“Larry has decided to resign from the OpenAI board of directors, and we respect his decision,” the board said in a statement.

“We appreciate his many contributions and the perspective he brought to the board.”

In line with my announcement to step away from my public commitments, I have also decided to resign from the board of OpenAI

The announcement comes one day after Mr Summers said he was stepping back from 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,” Mr Summers said in a separate statement issued by 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.”

Mr Summers joined the OpenAI board in November 2023, part of an effort to restore stability at the not-for-profit organisation and bring back its chief executive Sam Altman after its previous board members fired Mr Altman days earlier.

Epstein, who died by suicide several years ago, was a convicted sex offender known for his connections to wealthy and powerful people, making him a fixture of outrage and conspiracy theories about wrongdoing among American elites.