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Former US treasury secretary the Harvard professor is exiting the board at OpenAI, just a week after a collection of emails between him and notorious criminal the accused trafficker became publicly available.

Summers commented in a statement that he was "appreciative for the privilege to have served, enthusiastic about the potential of the company, and eagerly await observing their advancement".

The prominent academic, who once headed Harvard University, declared on Monday that he would be stepping back from public commitments due to his connections with Jeffrey Epstein.

Email Communications

The newly public communications revealed that the official exchanged messages with the financier until the day before his 2019 detention for alleged sex trafficking of minors.

In additional comments, the artificial intelligence company expressed it respected Summers' decision to step down.

"We value his many contributions and the viewpoint he offered to the governing body," the company remarked.

Political Context

This news arrives after the two houses of the US legislature agreed on Tuesday to endorse a legislation that would mandate the federal prosecutors to make public its documents on the case.

The legislation will afterward move to the office of the White House for endorsement. The President has stated he intends to endorse the legislation, after reversing his view on the matter following objections from his base.

Message Details

A collection of Epstein-connected emails released by the House Oversight Committee days ago referenced several high-profile figures in the financier's former circle, without implying any illegal behavior by those individuals.

The messages indicated that Summers and Jeffrey Epstein regularly had dinners together, with he often seeking to connect the academic to prominent world leaders.

Individual Statement

After the messages were shared with the general audience, Summers said he assumed "full responsibility for my misguided choice to continue interacting with Jeffrey Epstein".

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

Professional History

Summers held senior posts under party leaders; acting as economic leader under Bill Clinton, and as director of the National Economic Council under the former leader.

He presided over the institution from the early 2000s and continues to be a professor there. When stating his departure from public duties recently on this week, he indicated he would maintain his teaching commitments.

Further Repercussions

Following Summers' declaration on earlier this week, the policy organization, a liberal policy institute in the capital where Summers was a prominent member, verified that the economist was not associated with the group.

He entered the board of the AI company, which develops ChatGPT, in the previous year - following a unsuccessful effort to oust its CEO the company leader.