- Kai-Fu Lee resigns from Vizzio board amid controversy about founder’s credentials.
- Questions raised about Vizzio CEO Jon Lee falsely claiming a PhD from Cambridge.
- Vizzio stands behind founder despite revelations, as Lee deletes prior LinkedIn endorsement.
Kai-Fu Lee’s resignation
According to recent regulatory filings, renowned AI scientist Kai-Fu Lee has resigned from the board of directors of Singapore-based startup Vizzio Technologies.
Lee, the chairman and CEO of Chinese VC firm Sinovation Ventures, joined Vizzio’s board in October 2023 after Sinovation invested in the company last year.
Controversy surrounding Vizzio’s founder
Lee’s departure comes on the heels of questions raised by Tech in Asia regarding the academic credentials claimed by Vizzio founder and CEO Jon Lee.
An exposé published on January 9 reported that Jon Lee falsely claimed to hold a PhD in computer science from Cambridge University. Sinovation Ventures was contacted before the publication of the story.
Vizzio’s response
Vizzio posted a statement confirming that Jon Lee had informed the board that he did not earn the doctorate as previously claimed.
“We are resolved to support Jon and to continue Vizzio’s mission,” said Vizzio chairman Abu Bakar Mohd Nor. The company stands behind its founder despite the latest revelations.
Kai-Fu Lee, an MIT professor turned big name in China’s booming AI industry, had previously endorsed Jon Lee and Vizzio on LinkedIn.
That post was deleted shortly after Tech in Asia began asking questions about the founder’s dubious credentials, which are now in serious doubt.
