Larry Summers is resigning from the OpenAI board and leaving his instructor role at Harvard University after more emails between him and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein were released last week by a House committee. "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." He has also resigned from the international advisory board of Santander, a Spain-headquartered bank with global operations, a spokesperson for the firm told CNN on Wednesday. Last week a House committee released emails showing years of personal correspondence between the two men, including Summers making sexist comments and seeking Epstein's romantic advice. "Larry has decided to resign from the OpenAI Board of Directors, and we respect his decision," OpenAI's board of directors said in a statement. "We appreciate his many contributions and the perspective he brought to the Board." Summers previously served as former President Bill Clinton's Treasury secretary, former President Barack Obama's National Economic Council director, and as Harvard University president. Summers resigned from the Harvard presidency in 2006 after facing pressure amid multiple controversies. On Wednesday, a Harvard spokesperson told CNN that Summers will not finish out the semester as an instructor at the University. School paper The Crimson reported that Summers was also not scheduled to teach next semester, citing his spokesperson. He will also go on leave immediately from his role as the director of the Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government at the Harvard Kennedy School, which he has led since 2011, the Crimson reported. Harvard launched an investigation into Summers' relationship with Epstein, The Crimson reported earlier this week. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a former Harvard professor herself, has urged the University to cut ties with Summers. Summers joined the board of the artificial intelligence company in 2023, right as OpenAI welcomed back CEO Sam Altman just days after he was ousted by the previous board. — CNN
