FACT CHECK: No, Henry Kissinger Did Not Turn Down An OpenAI Board Seat Days Before Death
A photo shared on X, formerly Twitter, allegedly shows an article from the Washington Post reporting that former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger turned down an OpenAI board seat days prior to his death.
Holy shit pic.twitter.com/aypzAt0iMJ
— null 👨🌾 (@nullpointered) November 30, 2023
Verdict: False
The photo has been digitally altered. There is no evidence the Washington Post published such a story.
Fact Check:
Kissinger, a Holocaust survivor and diplomat, has died at age 100, according to The Independent. His consulting firm announced that he died in his Connecticut home, but did not provide a cause, NBC News reported.
The X post purports the Washington Post reported Kissinger turned down an OpenAI seat recently. The post shares a screenshot of an alleged article from Nov. 29.
The alleged headline reads, “Henry Kissinger turned down OpenAI seat board days before death.” The alleged subhead reads, “The diplomat had an offer to join the OpenAI board but turned it down due to poor health sources reveal.”
Check Your Fact found no matching search results for the alleged article on the Washington Post website. Likewise, there are no credible news reports from The Washington Post or other news outlets reporting the claim. It also does not appear on any of the Washington Post’s verified social media accounts. (RELATED: Did Henry Kissinger Declare Trump ‘The One True Leader In World Affairs’?)
The photo appears to be edited from a genuine Washington Post obituary that reads, “Henry Kissinger, who shaped world affairs under two presidents, dies at 100.”
Check Your Fact has reached out to spokespeople for The Washington Post and OpenAI for comment and will update this piece accordingly if one is received from either source.