LinkedIn Co-Founder Hoffman Exits Microsoft Board for AI Startup

Reid Hoffman, the co-founder of LinkedIn and a prominent venture capitalist, will depart from Microsoft Corp.'s board later this year. This decision stems from his desire to concentrate on his burgeoning artificial intelligence company.

Hoffman stated that the rapid advancements with his startup, Manas, a drug-discovery firm, necessitate his full attention in a founder capacity. He conveyed his deep honor and pleasure in serving on Microsoft's board during a conversation with CEO Satya Nadella.

He initially joined Microsoft's board in 2017, following the tech giant's acquisition of LinkedIn, which he co-founded in 2002. Hoffman has maintained an active investment presence, including at Greylock, and served as a key liaison between Microsoft and Silicon Valley AI companies.

Previously, Hoffman also held a board position at OpenAI, a close Microsoft partner. He was also associated with Inflection AI, a startup whose core team was later recruited by Microsoft for its large language model development.

Earlier this year, Hoffman faced scrutiny regarding documents related to Jeffrey Epstein, suggesting a prolonged personal connection. Hoffman clarified that his interactions with Epstein were primarily for fundraising purposes and affirmed his support for efforts to bring perpetrators of crimes to justice. The FBI had cleared him of any wrongdoing.