Sign up to save tools and stay up to date with the latest in AI
bg
bg
1

Clearview AI’s CEO Resigns As Facial Recognition Company Focuses On Trump 'Opportunities'

Feb 20, 2025 - forbes.com
Hoan Ton-That, the former CEO of Clearview AI, a facial recognition company known for its controversial data practices, has resigned to pursue new opportunities, though he will remain on the board. Clearview, co-founded by Ton-That, faced significant backlash and legal challenges due to its practice of scraping billions of images from social media without user consent, leading to privacy concerns. The company, which has committed to selling its technology only to government agencies, has been involved in various legal settlements and has struggled to expand its business under the Biden administration due to concerns over civil rights and privacy.

Hal Lambert, an early investor and board member, has taken over as co-CEO alongside co-founder Richard Schwartz. Lambert, a former Trump fundraiser, sees potential growth opportunities for Clearview under a new administration, particularly in expanding biometric surveillance. Despite generating $16 million in annual recurring revenue primarily from local law enforcement contracts, Clearview is not yet profitable and plans to raise equity this year. The company aims to triple its revenue and has previously raised $30 million in a Series B funding round, valuing it at $130 million.

Key takeaways:

  • Hoan Ton-That, former CEO of Clearview AI, resigned to start a new chapter in his life, while remaining on the board.
  • Clearview AI faced numerous lawsuits over privacy concerns, leading to settlements and a commitment to sell only to government agencies.
  • The company struggled to expand its business with federal agencies under the Biden administration due to concerns about civil rights and privacy.
  • Clearview AI aims to triple its revenue this year and plans to raise equity, having last raised $30 million in 2021.
View Full Article

Comments (0)

Be the first to comment!