Larry Summers resigns from OpenAI board after release of emails with Epstein (www.cnbc.com)

Larry Summers, the former U.S. Treasury secretary and economist, has resigned from OpenAI’s board after details of his correspondence with Jeffrey Epstein were made public. The documents — more than 20,000 pages released by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee after a subpoena of Epstein’s estate — included emails involving Summers. OpenAI’s board said it respected his decision and thanked him for his contributions; Summers issued a brief statement expressing gratitude for the opportunity to serve and interest in the company’s future. For the AI community, the resignation matters beyond individual reputations: it touches governance, public trust, and the industry’s political and regulatory interface. Summers was a high-profile source of policy, economic and strategic advice to OpenAI; his departure could reshape how the company manages external relations, regulatory engagement and board-level oversight of safety and commercialization strategy. The incident may accelerate scrutiny of board composition and background checks across AI firms, influence investor confidence, and prompt calls for clearer ethics and governance frameworks as AI companies engage with governments and sensitive stakeholders. Expect near-term focus on who replaces Summers and whether OpenAI updates governance or disclosure practices in response.