{"version":1,"type":"story","url":"https://digestai.news/story/katie-zacharia-denies-role-on-ai-mining-startup-nred-board","json":"https://digestai.news/story/katie-zacharia-denies-role-on-ai-mining-startup-nred-board.json","markdown":"https://digestai.news/story/katie-zacharia-denies-role-on-ai-mining-startup-nred-board.md","slug":"katie-zacharia-denies-role-on-ai-mining-startup-nred-board","headline":"Katie Zacharia denies role on AI mining startup NRED board","summary":"WIRED has uncovered details regarding Katie Zacharia's alleged connection to NRED Intelligent Mining, a Canadian company pivoting from copper and gold exploration to an AI-assisted mineral platform called MetalCore. Although a June 24 press release announced Zacharia was joining the advisory board alongside former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to provide strategic guidance on AI initiatives, Zacharia now claims the release was fake and issued without her consent. Sam Amsterdam, a marketing professional whose brother is listed in NRED management, stated that while discussions occurred, Zacharia never actually joined the board. NRED's CTO, Valentin Saitarli, confirmed that a role was discussed but \"never materialized,\" comparing it to signing up for a gym but never working out.\n\nThe company, which held only $65,689 in cash in January, has recently shifted its focus entirely to developing MetalCore, an AI and robotics platform for mining. This pivot has attracted controversial figures, including Noem and retired Navy commander Phil Ehr, who resigned after Noem joined. Ehr noted the board lacked geologists or technical experts, instead featuring individuals with ties to defense, MAGA, and international entities. Despite the retraction, an archived version of the NRED website listed Zacharia as management as of July, though Saitarli said the site was being updated. Zacharia, who was fired as White House press secretary five days into her tenure, did not respond to requests for comment on her dismissal.","keyPoints":["Zacharia claims a press release announcing her NRED board role was fake and unauthorized.","NRED CTO confirms discussions with Zacharia occurred but the role never materialized.","NRED is pivoting from mining to an AI-assisted platform called MetalCore."],"whyItMatters":"The incident highlights the intersection of political figures and speculative AI ventures, raising questions about the credibility of corporate announcements and the vetting processes for advisory boards in emerging tech sectors.","category":{"slug":"business","name":"Business & Funding","url":"https://digestai.news/category/business"},"entities":{"companies":["NRED Intelligent Mining","NovaRed Mining","Beachbody","White House"],"models":[],"people":["Katie Zacharia","Kristi Noem","Sam Amsterdam","Valentin Saitarli","Phil Ehr","Jenelle Summers"]},"firstPublishedAt":"2026-10-16T20:05:08Z","updatedAt":"2026-10-16T20:05:08Z","sourceCount":1,"hasPrimarySource":false,"sources":[{"outlet":"Wired AI","title":"Katie Zacharia Was Linked to an AI Rare-Earths Startup. It’s Even Weirder Than It Sounds","url":"https://wired.com/story/katie-zacharia-was-linked-to-an-ai-rare-earths-startup-its-even-weirder-than-it-sounds","publishedAt":"2026-10-16T20:05:08Z","type":"press","primary":false,"lead":true}],"sourceNotes":null,"discussions":[],"thread":null,"cite":{"text":"Digest AI, \"Katie Zacharia denies role on AI mining startup NRED board\", 16 October 2026, https://digestai.news/story/katie-zacharia-denies-role-on-ai-mining-startup-nred-board","publisher":"Digest AI","title":"Katie Zacharia denies role on AI mining startup NRED board","datePublished":"2026-10-16T20:05:08Z","url":"https://digestai.news/story/katie-zacharia-denies-role-on-ai-mining-startup-nred-board"},"generatedBy":"Written by Digest AI's editorial model from the linked sources; the sources are the record.","license":"Headlines, digests and key points are written by Digest AI and may be quoted with a link to the story page. Linked articles belong to their publishers. Terms: https://digestai.news/terms#reuse"}