Clearview AI CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Surrounding Facial Recognition Practices
The CEO of Clearview AI, a controversial startup known for developing facial recognition technology, has announced his resignation. Hoan Ton-That, who founded the company that created a searchable database from 30 billion photos scraped from the internet, expressed a desire for "the next chapter in my life." He will remain involved with the company as a board member but did not provide specific reasons for his departure.
After Ton-That’s resignation, Clearview AI now operates under dual leadership with co-CEOs Hal Lambert, an early investor and Republican political figure, and co-founder Richard Schwartz. Both plan to leverage new opportunities presented by the current administration.
Clearview AI faces significant legal challenges, including numerous privacy lawsuits due to its method of collecting images without consent. The company has incurred over $100 million in fines related to GDPR violations across various European countries and has resisted paying these fines.
Additionally, Clearview AI is embroiled in a legal dispute with conservative investor Charles Johnson, who recently dropped his claims of co-founding the company, although the company’s counterclaims against him continue.
Despite asserting its financial strength and record growth in 2024, Clearview AI struggles to secure substantial federal contracts and continues to operate at a loss. Investors such as Peter Thiel and Naval Ravikant have backed the startup, which was valued at $130 million following a $30 million Series B fundraising round in 2021.
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