Saudi man charged with planting 'sophisticated' recording device in OpenAI office

What the report says

A Saudi national who worked as an engineer at OpenAI has been charged in the United States with allegedly trying to secretly place a recording device inside one of the company’s California offices, according to BBC World News. Prosecutors say the case involves Abdulrahman Alfozan, and that the device was discovered in OpenAI’s San Francisco office after the company alerted the FBI.

The device was reportedly wrapped in toilet paper and inserted into a USB port on the back of a television in an executive conference room. OpenAI said it found what it described as a sophisticated recording device and later used its AI systems to help trace how it had been planted. The company said there was no indication that source code, model weights or customer data were accessed or removed.

BBC World News reported that federal prosecutors allege Alfozan researched sensitive locations and methods for hiding audio equipment, and that CCTV footage was used to link him to the office. Investigators also say a similar recording device was found in a bag left elsewhere in the building. Alfozan appeared in court on Tuesday, and it was not clear from the report whether he had legal representation.

The case matters because it raises concerns about internal security at a major artificial intelligence company and the protection of sensitive workplace communications. If convicted, prosecutors say he faces up to five years in prison and a fine.