Larry Summers has resigned from OpenAI’s board after the disclosure of email exchanges with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Appointed to the board in November 2023, Summers said he is stepping away from public commitments but will continue to follow the company’s progress. The emails, dated 2018–2019, involved requests related to a protege he was pursuing romantically and arrived about a decade after Epstein’s criminal conviction. Summers will remain a professor at Harvard.
Larry Summers Resigns From OpenAI Board After Revelations of Email Exchanges with Jeffrey Epstein
Larry Summers has resigned from OpenAI’s board after the disclosure of email exchanges with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Appointed to the board in November 2023, Summers said he is stepping away from public commitments but will continue to follow the company’s progress. The emails, dated 2018–2019, involved requests related to a protege he was pursuing romantically and arrived about a decade after Epstein’s criminal conviction. Summers will remain a professor at Harvard.
01:03 AM, 11/20/2025Technology
Larry Summers, a former senior economic official who served under Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, has resigned from the board of OpenAI following the publication of emails he exchanged with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
“In line with my announcement to step away from public commitments, I have decided to resign from the board of OpenAI. I am grateful for the opportunity to have served, excited about the potential of the company, and look forward to following their progress.”
Summers was appointed to OpenAI’s board in November 2023, around the time Sam Altman returned to lead the company after a tumultuous board removal and reinstatement. The resignation comes days after the disclosure of email exchanges from 2018 and 2019 in which Summers sought Epstein’s help regarding a protege he was pursuing romantically.
Those messages were sent roughly a decade after Epstein’s earlier criminal conviction, a fact that has intensified scrutiny of anyone linked to him. In recent days, Summers said he would step back from public roles as he addresses the fallout from the disclosures.
Summers will remain on the faculty at Harvard University and has indicated he plans to continue following OpenAI’s work from outside the boardroom.
What this means
The episode underscores ongoing reputational risks for public figures tied to Epstein and highlights how private communications can quickly prompt public and professional consequences. OpenAI’s board will continue its governance work while searching for any necessary replacements.