OpenAI Engineer Charged with Installing Listening Device

An engineer at OpenAI has been charged with secretly installing a recording device inside a conference room, an act officials say was an attempt to capture sensitive conversations about the company's technology. The employee, identified as Abdulrahman Alfozan, a 35-year-old Saudi national, was arrested Friday, one week after OpenAI discovered the hidden audio recording device.

The criminal complaint filed in federal court in San Francisco states that OpenAI discovered the device concealed in toilet paper and inserted into a USB port on the back of a television in the conference room on September 30. The company subsequently reported the finding to the FBI and terminated Alfozan's employment.

In a statement, an OpenAI spokesperson confirmed the discovery of a "sophisticated recording device that was hidden inside one of our offices." The company utilized its AI models to identify the device and determine that Alfozan had planted it. OpenAI expressed gratitude to the FBI and prosecutors for their swift action.

According to the FBI, closed-circuit television footage from within the company's offices showed Alfozan near the conference room on multiple occasions last month, despite not having authorization to access the space. While the conference room did not have a camera at the time of the device's installation, OpenAI later added a camera that captured Alfozan checking behind the television where the recording device was hidden.

The complaint details that Alfozan also used a productivity tool to make inquiries about the company's building addresses, meeting rooms, capacities, and calendars. Prior to his arrest, Alfozan reportedly left an unattended bag in a different room containing his wallet, identification, and another recording device.

Alfozan made his initial court appearance on Tuesday, facing a charge of using or attempting to use an electronic device to intercept oral communications. The complaint does not specify Alfozan's motives for potentially capturing conversations, nor has it been confirmed if he has legal representation.

OpenAI stated that at this time, there is no indication that Alfozan inappropriately accessed or exfiltrated model weights, source code, or customer data.