Clearview AI, the controversial facial recognition startup, has undergone a major leadership shakeup with the resignation of former CEO and co-founder Hoan Ton-That. The company, which has built a massive database by scraping billions of facial images from the internet without consent, appointed early investor Hal Lambert and co-founder Richard Schwartz as co-CEOs in December 2024, with Ton-That initially shifting to president before departing entirely.
Ton-That, who will remain on the board, characterized his exit as “leaving on a high note,” noting that 2024 saw the company’s highest revenue and growth since its founding. According to Lambert, Clearview generated $16 million in annual recurring revenue last year, primarily from contracts with local law enforcement agencies. Despite remaining unprofitable, the company aims to triple its revenue in 2025, banking on expanded federal partnerships.
The leadership transition appears strategically timed to capitalize on the Trump administration’s renewed emphasis on biometric surveillance and border security. Lambert, an active Republican supporter who served on President Trump’s inauguration committee, told Forbes that Clearview is already in discussions with the Pentagon, Homeland Security, and other federal agencies. A company spokesperson confirmed that the new co-CEOs will “lead the charge to capitalize on emerging opportunities to enhance national security and public safety under the new Administration.”
Clearview’s trajectory has been marked by persistent controversy since its 2020 debut. The company has faced lawsuits from civil rights groups, US courts, and international governments over privacy violations stemming from its practice of scraping facial images from platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn without consent. While settling some US cases, Clearview was hit with substantial fines across Europe, including a 30.5 million euro penalty from Dutch authorities in 2024. The company disputed these rulings, calling them “unlawful” and “unenforceable.”
Despite legal challenges, Clearview’s technology continues expanding in US law enforcement. The El Cerrito Police Department in California recently confirmed using the tool to identify suspects and solve crimes. Clearview claims its technology has been “instrumental in solving innumerable cases involving terrorism, homicide, theft, financial fraud, human trafficking, and child predation,” though specific details remain undisclosed. The company last raised funding in 2021 with a $30 million Series B round at a $130 million valuation.
Key Quotes
We want to keep America safe, and technology is a way to do it.
Hal Lambert, newly appointed co-CEO and Republican supporter who served on Trump’s inauguration committee, told Forbes this statement while discussing Clearview’s expansion plans with federal agencies including the Pentagon and Homeland Security.
Ultimately, this technology will help us pursue justice for crime victims and improve the quality of life for our residents.
The El Cerrito Police Department in California made this statement when confirming its use of Clearview’s facial recognition technology, representing the growing adoption of the controversial tool by local law enforcement despite ongoing privacy concerns.
We want to lead the charge to capitalize on emerging opportunities to enhance national security and public safety under the new Administration.
A Clearview spokesperson provided this statement to Business Insider, explicitly connecting the company’s leadership changes and expansion strategy to opportunities presented by the Trump administration’s focus on biometric surveillance.
The decision was unlawful, devoid of due process and is unenforceable.
Clearview’s response to the 30.5 million euro penalty from Dutch authorities, demonstrating the company’s defiant stance toward European regulatory enforcement despite facing significant fines across multiple jurisdictions for privacy violations.
Our Take
Clearview AI’s leadership transition reveals a calculated bet that political alignment can overcome regulatory and ethical obstacles. The appointment of Republican operatives as co-CEOs isn’t merely coincidental—it’s a strategic repositioning to exploit favorable political winds. This represents a troubling precedent where controversial AI technologies find legitimacy through political connections rather than addressing fundamental privacy concerns. The company’s dismissive attitude toward European fines and its aggressive expansion plans suggest a belief that US federal contracts will provide both revenue and political cover. This case exemplifies a broader tension in AI governance: while Europe pursues strict regulation, the US market remains fragmented, allowing companies like Clearview to operate in gray areas. The real test will be whether federal adoption normalizes facial recognition surveillance or triggers a domestic regulatory backlash similar to Europe’s response.
Why This Matters
This leadership change at Clearview AI represents a pivotal moment in the ongoing debate over AI-powered surveillance technology and privacy rights. The appointment of politically connected Republican supporters as co-CEOs signals a strategic pivot toward federal government contracts under an administration more favorable to expanded biometric surveillance. This could accelerate the normalization of facial recognition technology in law enforcement and border security, despite unresolved privacy concerns and international regulatory pushback.
The timing is particularly significant as it highlights the intersection of AI technology, politics, and civil liberties. Clearview’s aggressive expansion plans, aiming to triple revenue through federal partnerships, suggest that controversial AI applications may find more receptive audiences depending on political climate. This raises critical questions about the balance between national security interests and individual privacy rights in the AI era. For the broader AI industry, Clearview’s trajectory demonstrates how regulatory fragmentation between the US and Europe creates divergent paths for AI deployment, with potentially far-reaching implications for global AI governance standards and the future of biometric surveillance technology.
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Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/clearview-ai-ceo-resigns-hal-lambert-richard-schwartz-2025-2