Larry Summers, former Treasury secretary under President Bill Clinton and former president of Harvard University, has resigned from the board of directors of technology company OpenAI, according to statements released Wednesday.
“Larry has decided to resign from the OpenAI board of directors and we respect his decision. We appreciate his many contributions and the perspective he brought to the board,” read a statement from the OpenAI board of directors.
Summers’ resignation came just two days after he issued a statement saying he was “deeply ashamed” of his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. Summers’ email exchanges with Epstein were released last week by the House Oversight Committee.
Larry Summers, president emeritus and professor at Harvard University, during an interview in New York, U.S., Wednesday, September 17, 2025. Summers warned earlier this month that while financial markets have so far shown limited concern regarding the independence of the Federal Reserve, the situation “could change very quickly.”
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“In line with my announcement to step away from my public commitments, I have also decided to resign from the OpenAI board of directors,” said a statement from Larry Summers. “I am grateful for the opportunity to have served, excited about the company’s potential and look forward to following its progress.”
Larry Summers previously announced that he would step back from public life after his apparent communications with Epstein became public.
Summers is currently a member of the Harvard faculty, according to the Harvard Crimson newspaper. But there have been calls, including from Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, for Harvard to sever ties with him.
Harvard has announced that it will launch a new investigation into Summers’ association with Epstein, according the Harvard Crimson. the university reviewed his ties to Epstein five years ago, including donations he made to the university.
“I am deeply ashamed of my actions and recognize the pain they have caused. I take full responsibility for my mistaken decision to continue communicating with Mr. Epstein,” Summers said in a statement Monday.
He added: “While I continue to fulfill my teaching obligations, I will step back from public engagements as part of my broader effort to rebuild trust and repair relationships with those closest to me.”
It was previously reported that Summers maintained a relationship with Epstein for many years, particularly during Summers’ tenure as president of Harvard from 2001 to 2006.
Summers flew at least four times on Epstein’s plane, according to flight records made public during the Epstein litigation, and was Harvard’s top official during a time when the university received millions in gifts from Epstein.
All of those gifts were received before Epstein pleaded guilty in Florida in 2008 to charges of soliciting prostitution with a minor, according to the university’s review of his connections to Epstein.
The late financier was federally charged in July 2019 with sex trafficking and conspiracy and died by suicide the following month.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
