According to a statement provided to TechCrunch, the CEO of Clearview AI, a controversial face recognition startup that slashed out the Internet to create a searchable database of 30 billion photos, has stepped down.
CEO Hoan Ton-That said, “It's time for the next chapter in my life,” and he will remain as a board member of ClearView AI. He declined to comment when asked for details of what specifically caused his resignation. This news was first reported by Forbes.
ClearView AI has two “co-CEOs”: early investors Hal Lambert and co-founder Richard Schwartz, who want to take advantage of new “opportunities” under the Trump administration, according to Clearview AI sent to TechCrunch. there is.
Both men have a long history in Republican politics. Lambert's investment firm Point Bridge Capital is best known for launching the MAGA ETF in 2017, investing in companies supporting Republican candidates. Meanwhile, Schwartz served as senior adviser to Rudy Giuliani during his tenure as mayor of New York City.
ClearView AI sells access to facial recognition databases to law enforcement and federal agencies that use it to identify suspects and find missing people. The startup had to dodge multiple privacy suits and fines as they obtained the photos without people's consent.
As of September 2024, Clearview AI has earned more than $100 million in GDPR fines from European data protection agencies such as the Netherlands and France. ClearView AI has historically been uncooperative and refused to pay these fines. (ClearView did not respond to requests for comment from TechCrunch.
ClearView AI claims that conservative investor and self-explanatory investigative journalist Charles Johnson is the co-founder and claims he owes the committee's share. It's there. Johnson recently dropped the case in accordance with legal filings. However, Biometric updates report that ClearView AI's counterclaim in the lawsuit claims delinquent losses and breach of contract against Johnson, which is ongoing.
When asked by TechCrunch, Ton refused to elaborate on his plans. According to his statement, Clearview AI achieved the highest growth and revenue in 2024, financially in the “most powerful position ever.” However, startups are struggling to secure large federal contracts and remain unable to recruit.
According to a post on the website, investors, including Peter Thiel and the Navy Ravikant, raised $30 million in the 2021 Series B round and $30 million in $130 million.