- Clearview AI CEO Hoan Ton-That resigns, replaced by two Republican-linked co-CEOs.
- The company faces ongoing challenges with unpaid GDPR fines and profitability issues.
- New leadership signals potential pivot toward Trump administration opportunities
Hoan Ton-That, CEO of controversial facial recognition startup Clearview AI, has resigned from his position while retaining a board seat, marking a significant leadership change at the company known for its massive database of scraped facial images.
The company has appointed two new co-CEOs: early investor Hal Lambert and co-founder Richard Schwartz, both with strong ties to Republican politics.
Lambert is known for launching the MAGA ETF in 2017 through his firm Point Bridge Capital, while Schwartz previously served as a senior advisor to Rudy Giuliani during his New York City mayorship.
Despite Ton-That's assertion that Clearview AI achieved its highest growth and revenue in 2024, the company continues to face significant challenges.
The startup, valued at $130 million after a $30 million Series B round in 2021, remains unprofitable and has accumulated over $100 million in GDPR fines from European data protection agencies, which remain unpaid.
Clearview AI's core business involves selling access to its controversial database of 30 billion photos, scraped from the internet without consent, to law enforcement and federal agencies.
This practice has led to multiple privacy lawsuits and regulatory challenges across jurisdictions.
The leadership change appears strategically timed, with the new co-CEOs expressing interest in pursuing "opportunities" under the Trump administration.
However, when asked about specific reasons for his departure, Ton-That declined to provide details, stating only that it was "time for the next chapter in my life."
Edited By Annette George
