The CEO, Hoan Ton-That, said “it is time for the next chapter in my life” and that he would remain on as a board member of Clearview AI. When asked for more details about what led to his resignation, he declined to comment.
Clearview AI now has two "co-CEOs," early investor Hal Lambert and co-founder Richard Schwartz, who are looking to seize new "opportunities" under the Trump administration, according to a statement the company shared with TechCrunch.
Both individuals have deep ties to Republican politics. Lambert’s investment firm, Point Bridge Capital, is known for launching the MAGA ETF in 2017, which invests in companies supportive of Republican candidates. Meanwhile, Schwartz previously served as a senior advisor to Rudy Giuliani during his time as mayor of New York City.
Clearview AI provides access to its facial recognition database for law enforcement and federal agencies to help identify suspects or locate missing individuals. Since the company acquired the photos without individuals' consent, it has faced multiple privacy lawsuits and fines.
By September 2024, Clearview AI had accumulated over $100 million in GDPR fines from European data protection agencies in the Netherlands, France, and other countries. The company has historically been uncooperative, refusing to pay these fines.
Clearview AI was also sued by conservative investor and self-proclaimed investigative journalist Charles Johnson, who claimed he was a co-founder and entitled to a portion of commissions. Johnson recently dropped the lawsuit, according to a legal filing. However, Clearview AI's counterclaims, which accuse Johnson of defamation and breach of contract, are still ongoing, as reported by Biometric Update.
Ton-That chose not to provide further details about his plans when asked by TechCrunch. In his statement, he mentioned that Clearview AI is in its "strongest position ever" financially, experiencing its highest growth and revenue in 2024. However, the startup has faced challenges in securing significant federal contracts and continues to operate at a loss.
Clearview AI, with investors such as Peter Thiel and Naval Ravikant, raised $30 million in a Series B funding round in 2021, which valued the company at $130 million.