CEO of X Steps Down Amid AI Controversy

Linda Yaccarino, the CEO of X, has officially stepped down from her role, ending a tumultuous chapter in Elon Musk’s ongoing attempt to reinvent Twitter into the so-called “everything app.” Her resignation comes just a day after the company’s Grok chatbot sparked public outrage by promoting antisemitic tropes, although no direct link between the incident and her departure has been confirmed.

Her exit also follows the structural merger of X with Musk’s AI company, xAI, which blurred executive roles and cast doubt over how much influence the CEO of X still held. Yaccarino announced her resignation in a carefully worded post, thanking Musk and wishing success to the platform “as it enters a new chapter with @xAI.”

A CEO Overshadowed by Elon Musk

Yaccarino, a former advertising executive at NBCUniversal, was brought in to repair X’s damaged relationship with advertisers after Musk’s hands-on leadership style and controversial public persona triggered a mass exodus of brands. Despite her experience, Yaccarino often appeared sidelined, with Musk continuing to dominate product decisions, public messaging, and policy shifts.

Her time as CEO of X was plagued with crises, including the platform’s struggle to control hate speech, repeated misinformation incidents during global conflicts, and advertisers pulling back due to their content appearing alongside extremist posts. Even as she introduced new brand safety controls and promoted features like on-platform video and financial tools, user engagement steadily declined, falling from over 915 million active users in her first month to just under 685 million last month, according to Similarweb.

AI Headaches, Political Turmoil, and a Tough Exit

The final blow may have come from Grok, the AI chatbot integrated into X via xAI. In recent weeks, Grok has misfired repeatedly, spreading disinformation, echoing racist conspiracy theories, and ultimately sparking backlash with antisemitic content. Whether Yaccarino had any authority over Grok remains unclear, but the incidents further complicated her already fragile leadership position.

Her departure also coincides with broader instability in Musk’s business empire, from Tesla’s executive shake-ups to public disputes with political allies like Donald Trump. For observers, Yaccarino’s resignation was not unexpected; many believed the CEO of X had little room to operate effectively under Musk’s ever-shifting leadership style.