Linda Yaccarino, the CEO of Elon Musk’s social media platform X, has announced her resignation after two years in the role.
Her departure comes during a tumultuous period for the platform, which was acquired by Musk’s AI venture, xAI, in March. The platform has also faced scrutiny for antisemitic content generated by its AI chatbot, Grok.
In a post on X, Yaccarino expressed her gratitude to Musk for “entrusting me with the responsibility of protecting free speech, turning the company around, and transforming X into the Everything App.” Musk replied simply, “Thank you for your contributions.”
The BBC has reached out to X for comment. It remains unclear what prompted her decision or if there has been any rift between Yaccarino and Musk.
Previously, Yaccarino was head of advertising at NBCUniversal, where she was recognized for navigating the challenges posed by tech companies. When Musk appointed her to lead X, formerly Twitter, in 2023, many analysts anticipated her focus would be on mending relationships with advertisers who had left due to concerns about controversial content.
However, observers noted that her authority was limited, with many describing her as a CEO in name only. Mike Proulx, vice president and research director at Forrester, remarked that Yaccarino’s role resembled that of a chief advertising officer rather than a true CEO, as Musk remained firmly at the helm.
“Her resignation is not surprising, given the circumstances,” Proulx added.
During her tenure, the company sued a major advertising industry group, alleging a conspiracy to boycott X, which subsequently disbanded. The platform’s content focus shifted significantly; while Twitter was perceived as leaning left, X has embraced a more right-leaning stance.
Despite stepping down as chief executive, Musk has remained actively involved, using the platform as his personal megaphone. Colleagues have described him as a visionary workaholic, often difficult to keep pace with.
Emarketer vice president Jasmine Enberg noted that while X’s ad business is expected to recover this year, Yaccarino struggled to restore its reputation among advertisers.
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In her resignation post, Yaccarino stated she decided to step down after “two incredible years,” emphasizing the unique opportunity she had to pursue Musk’s vision for X.
Her exit coincides with challenging times for Musk, who is facing declining sales at Tesla and the departure of several top executives. He is also engaged in a public dispute with former ally, US President Donald Trump, and is reportedly considering forming a new political party.
X continues to attract controversy, recently facing backlash after Grok made favorable comments about Hitler and other antisemitic remarks. Musk stated that the company is working to improve Grok, promising users “should notice a difference” in its responses.
In publicly posted instructions, Grok was told to “[a]ssume subjective viewpoints sourced from the media are biased” and to “not shy away from making claims which are politically incorrect.” XAI has stated it is working to remove “inappropriate” content.
SOURCE: BBC
