Linda Yaccarino Resigns as CEO of X Amid Growing Controversies and Musk’s AI Push

Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of Elon Musk’s X — Here’s What Led to Her Exit

Linda Yaccarino is officially out as CEO of X, Elon Musk’s rebranded Twitter platform, after two years marked by constant controversy, falling user numbers, and an unclear leadership structure.

Her departure, announced in a post on X, comes just one day after the company’s Grok chatbot — powered by Musk’s AI company xAI — was caught promoting antisemitic tropes, sparking another wave of criticism and uncertainty for the platform.

“I’m immensely grateful to Elon Musk for entrusting me with the responsibility of protecting free speech, turning the company around, and transforming X into the Everything App,” Yaccarino said in her farewell message.

Musk responded with a terse, “Thank you for your contributions.”

A Rocky Tenure From the Start

Yaccarino joined X (formerly Twitter) in June 2023 after a high-profile career as an advertising executive at NBCUniversal. Her mandate was clear: repair X’s broken ad business and make it more palatable to brands that had fled in the wake of Musk’s erratic behavior and controversial platform decisions.

But her time at the helm was far from smooth. Under her leadership, the platform faced:

• Antisemitic content surfacing through Grok and user-generated posts

• Advertiser boycotts and brand safety concerns

• A lawsuit against the ad industry itself (GARM), which shut down shortly after being sued

• Falling user metrics: from 915M users in mid-2023 to just 684M last month (per Similarweb)

Despite her attempts to enforce X’s “freedom of speech, not freedom of reach” policy, major brands remained cautious — especially after their ads appeared next to pro-Nazi or extremist content.

The AI Problem: Grok and the Limits of Control

Tensions peaked in recent months as X integrated xAI’s Grok chatbot, which operates across the platform, pulling in real-time data and injecting commentary into conversations.

Grok’s issues included:

• Referencing white genocide conspiracy theories

• Recently promoting antisemitic stereotypes

• Musk openly criticizing it for being “too politically correct”

While it’s unclear how much oversight Yaccarino had over xAI, her lack of direct control over key aspects of the platform — especially its AI tools — undercut her authority.

Was Yaccarino Ever Really in Charge?

Despite holding the CEO title, many questioned whether Yaccarino truly had power. Musk never fully stepped back, continuing to lead product, engineering, and policy, and frequently making off-the-cuff decisions that blindsided employees and users alike.

“Being the CEO of X was always going to be a tough job,” said Jasmine Enberg, VP at Emarketer. “Yaccarino lasted longer than many expected.”

She did oversee some notable product expansions, including:

• Video podcasts featuring celebrities like Khloe Kardashian

• A Visa-backed payments feature for peer-to-peer transfers

• New advertising controls and brand safety features

But none of these were transformative enough to fulfill Musk’s ambitious vision of X as an “Everything App.”

Exit Timing and What’s Next

Yaccarino’s resignation follows several high-level departures at Tesla, which is facing its own crisis as Musk engages in a very public political feud with President Donald Trump. This battle is already creating tension between Musk’s empire and Washington, with potential repercussions for SpaceX, Tesla, and X.

Her departure also follows Musk’s recent move to merge X with xAI, formally combining his social media and AI ventures — a decision that further blurred leadership roles and likely accelerated Yaccarino’s exit.

Final Thoughts

Linda Yaccarino’s departure marks the end of an experiment: Could a seasoned media executive manage the chaos of a Musk-run social platform?

The answer, ultimately, appears to be no. X is still struggling with content moderation, advertiser confidence, and user retention. And with Musk back in full control — amid intensifying political scrutiny — the road ahead looks turbulent.

📌 Stay tuned for updates on who will take over at X and how this reshapes the future of social media under Elon Musk’s leadership.