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One-time economic leader Lawrence Summers is exiting the directorate at OpenAI, just days after a collection of electronic messages between him and notorious criminal the disgraced billionaire became widely known.

He commented in a release that he was "grateful for the opportunity to have served, enthusiastic about the potential of the organization, and eagerly await tracking their development".

Summers, who previously presided over the Ivy League institution, announced on Monday that he would be withdrawing from public responsibilities due to his association with Epstein.

Message Exchange

The newly public communications demonstrated that the official exchanged messages with the financier until the 24 hours preceding his 2019 apprehension for alleged human trafficking of minors.

In additional comments, the artificial intelligence company stated it understood the economist's choice to resign.

"We appreciate his many contributions and the perspective he provided to the Board," the company remarked.

Congressional Action

This announcement comes after both chambers of Congress agreed on this week to pass a measure that would mandate the Department of Justice to disclose its records on Jeffrey Epstein.

The bill will then move to the desk of the White House for endorsement. Trump has said he plans to endorse the measure, after reversing his view on the matter following pushback from his followers.

Correspondence Findings

A batch of Epstein-connected messages disclosed by the Congressional committee recently mentioned multiple high-profile figures in the financier's previous network, without implying any criminal activity by those people.

The emails showed that Summers and Jeffrey Epstein regularly had dinners together, with he often seeking to introduce Summers to prominent international personalities.

Individual Statement

After the messages were released with the general audience, Summers expressed he assumed "total ownership for my ill-advised choice to continue interacting with Jeffrey Epstein".

He further stated that he hoped "to restore trust and fix connections with the individuals closest to me".

Professional History

Summers held high-level positions under two Democratic presidents; acting as treasury secretary under Bill Clinton, and as head of the National Economic Council under the former leader.

He presided over Harvard from 2001 to 2006 and is still a faculty member there. When announcing his step-down from public roles earlier on this week, he stated he would continue his teaching commitments.

Additional Consequences

Following the economist's announcement on Monday, the Center for American Progress, a left-leaning think tank in Washington where he was a prominent member, announced that he was no longer affiliated with the institution.

The former official became part of the leadership of OpenAI, which develops the AI chatbot, in last year - following a unsuccessful effort to remove its chief executive Sam Altman.