• Larry Summers resigns from the OpenAI board amid fallout from Epstein emails.
• Harvard University reopens an investigation into Summers's connections with Epstein.
• Summers expresses regret over his ties to Epstein, calling them a "major error in judgment."
• US Congress votes to release Epstein-related Justice Department files.
• Summers had maintained a close relationship with Epstein long after his 2008 conviction.

Former U.S. Treasury Secretary Larry Summers has resigned from the board of OpenAI following the release of emails revealing his ongoing correspondence with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. This decision comes after Congress published a large cache of documents detailing Summers’ interactions with Epstein, indicating a close relationship that persisted even after Epstein’s 2008 guilty plea for soliciting prostitution from a minor, according to BBC and Al Jazeera.

In light of the revelations, Harvard University announced it would reopen its investigation into Summers' connections to Epstein, which had originally delved into Epstein's frequent access to the university and the 40 visits he made to Harvard after his conviction. A spokesperson from Harvard stated that the review would include all individuals mentioned in the Epstein documents, although Summers was not specifically cited by name in their announcement, according to SFGate and SCMP.

As part of his resignation from OpenAI, Summers expressed gratitude for his time on the board and acknowledged his "misguided decision" to engage with Epstein. He stated, "I am deeply ashamed of my actions and recognize the pain they have caused," indicating his intent to step back from public commitments, as reported by SFGate and The Jakarta Post.

The contextual political ramifications are significant, with U.S. President Donald Trump recently ordering the release of Justice Department files related to Epstein, which could provoke further scrutiny of other prominent figures connected to him. An ethics advocate referenced the situation as indicative of an "ongoing political thorn" for Trump, especially given its potential impact on his public approval ratings, according to Al Jazeera and The Jakarta Post.