Hoan Ton-That, the CEO of Clearview AI, a controversial facial recognition company known for creating a searchable repository of 30 billion images sourced from the internet, has announced his resignation in a statement to TechCrunch.
Ton-That expressed that “it is time for the next chapter in my life,” confirming that he would stay on as a board member of Clearview AI. He did not provide further details regarding the reasons behind his departure. This resignation was first reported by Forbes.
Following Ton-That’s exit, Clearview AI will be led by two “co-CEOs,” Hal Lambert, an early investor, and Richard Schwartz, a co-founder, who aim to seize new “opportunities” during the Trump administration, as stated in a communication from Clearview AI to TechCrunch.
Both individuals have significant backgrounds in Republican politics. Lambert’s firm, Point Bridge Capital, gained notoriety for launching the MAGA ETF in 2017, which invests in companies that back Republican candidates. On the other hand, Schwartz served as a senior advisor to Rudy Giuliani during his time as the mayor of New York City.
Clearview AI provides access to its facial recognition database to law enforcement agencies and federal organizations, which utilize it for suspect identification and locating missing persons. The startup’s practice of obtaining images without individual consent has led to numerous privacy lawsuits and fines.
As of September 2024, Clearview AI has accumulated over $100 million in GDPR fines from data protection bureaus across Europe, including in the Netherlands and France. Historically, the company has been unyielding in responding to these fines, with TechCrunch inquiring if any fines have been paid, but Clearview did not reply.
Additionally, Clearview AI is embroiled in a litigation case initiated by Charles Johnson, a conservative investor and self-styled investigative journalist, who alleged co-foundership and claimed a share of the commissions. Johnson has recently withdrawn his lawsuit as per legal documents. Nonetheless, Clearview AI’s counterclaims against Johnson, involving defamation and breach of contract, are ongoing, as reported by Biometric Update here.
Ton-That did not provide specifics regarding his future plans when approached by TechCrunch. He mentioned in his statement that Clearview AI is currently in its “strongest position ever” in terms of financial performance, attaining its highest growth and revenue figures in 2024. However, reports from Forbes highlight that the startup has faced challenges in securing large federal contracts and continues to operate at a loss.
Clearview AI, whose investors include Peter Thiel and Naval Ravikant, successfully raised $30 million in a Series B funding round in 2021, attributing a valuation of $130 million to the company, as stated in a press release.
Compiled by Techarena.au.
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