đź”— Share this article Harvard ex-president Summers Steps Down from AI Company's Directors The economist declared he would withdraw from public positions after legislative body made public his regular messages with Jeffrey Epstein One-time economic leader Lawrence Summers is departing from the board at OpenAI, just days after a collection of electronic messages between him and late convicted sex offender the accused trafficker became widely known. Summers stated in an announcement that he was "grateful for the privilege to have participated, excited about the prospects of the company, and look forward following their advancement". Summers, who formerly led Harvard University, declared on recently that he would be scaling back from public roles due to his association with Epstein. Digital Correspondence The freshly disclosed emails showed that Summers exchanged messages with Jeffrey Epstein until the day before the financier's 2019 arrest for suspected trafficking of young people. In another announcement, the AI firm said it accepted his determination to depart. "We value his many contributions and the insight he offered to the governing body," the company commented. Legislative Background This news comes after both chambers of the US legislature voted on Tuesday to approve a measure that would require the US justice department to release its documents on the case. The legislation will subsequently head to the desk of the White House for approval. He has said he intends to endorse the measure, after modifying his stance on the issue following objections from his followers. Message Details A group of Epstein-related emails disclosed by the legislative panel recently referenced several prominent individuals in the Epstein's former circle, without implying any illegal behavior by those figures. The messages revealed that the professor and Jeffrey Epstein often met for meals, with the billionaire often trying to introduce Summers to prominent global figures. Personal Response After the messages were released with the wider community, Summers stated he accepted "complete accountability for my poor decision to continue interacting with Mr Epstein". He continued that he desired "to rebuild trust and mend relationships with the people closest to me". Career Background The professor served in senior posts under Democratic administrations; acting as treasury secretary under President Clinton, and as leader of the National Economic Council under the former leader. He presided over the university from 2001 to 2006 and remains a faculty member there. When stating his departure from public roles previously on Monday, he indicated he would persist with his academic responsibilities. Other Impacts Following the economist's announcement on Monday, the Washington think tank, a liberal research organization in DC where the professor was a prominent member, verified that he was ceased to be affiliated with the organization. He became part of the directorate of the technology firm, which creates the AI chatbot, in last year - following a failed attempt to replace its CEO Sam Altman.