At a recent Coldplay concert in Boston, a moment caught on the “kiss cam” unexpectedly thrust AI startup Astronomer into the spotlight. The camera zoomed in on CEO Andy Byron and Chief People Officer Kristin Cabot, who appeared intimately close. As the crowd watched, both quickly pulled away, and Coldplay frontman Chris Martin lightheartedly commented, “Either they’re having an affair, or they’re just very shy.”
That brief public interaction ignited widespread speculation online. In response, Astronomer’s board placed both Byron and Cabot on administrative leave and appointed co-founder Pete DeJoy as interim CEO. The company confirmed it had launched a formal internal investigation and reiterated its commitment to professional conduct and leadership accountability.
As the story went viral, social media became flooded with rumors. One individual falsely claimed he had been fired for purchasing the concert tickets for the executives. However, it was later revealed that the man had no official connection to the company. Similarly, a widely shared apology statement allegedly from Byron turned out to be fabricated—Astronomer clarified that no such statement had been issued.
Speculation also extended into Byron’s personal life. Observers noted that his wife appeared to have removed his surname from her online profiles, fueling further gossip. However, the company has not made any public comment on the matter.
Former employees have since weighed in, with some describing Byron’s leadership as toxic. Communications experts also criticized the company’s slow initial response, arguing that the delay allowed misinformation to take hold.