A Saudi engineer named Abdulrahman Alfozan, who was working at OpenAI, was arrested for allegedly installing a recording device in one of the company's offices in San Francisco. This was announced on Tuesday by the company and U.S. federal officials. OpenAI stated, "We discovered a sophisticated recording device that had been hidden in one of our offices and referred the matter to the FBI."
Details of the Incident and Arrest
The recording device was discovered by OpenAI's security team late last month, and Alfozan was arrested on October 9. The 35-year-old engineer, who had been working for OpenAI since July 2025, responded to claims that he wrapped a USB device in toilet paper and placed it in a television in an "executive conference room." Officials stated that Alfozan was recorded several times by security cameras near the conference room while he was not authorized to attend meetings there.
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According to officials, Alfozan also used a "productivity tool" to search for more information about OpenAI's buildings, meeting rooms, calendars, and schedules. A chatbot account connected to Alfozan's wife also contained searches related to remote audio recording and memory card encryption.
Consequences and Reactions
This incident has raised serious concerns about information security in the tech world. Jay Clayton, the U.S. Director of National Intelligence, stated: "This serious situation highlights why winning the global competition for advanced artificial intelligence is a national security priority." He added that the U.S. intelligence community is committed to protecting the country's advanced intellectual property from foreign threats.
Alfozan's arrest comes as the global competition for dominance in artificial intelligence technology is intensifying. Saudi Arabia, a close ally of the United States, recently invested $3 billion in Humain, a government-backed AI company. This investment follows SpaceX's acquisition of the AI division of xAI, led by Elon Musk, last February.
It is currently unclear whether the recording device was able to collect any information. OpenAI stated, "There is currently no indication of this individual's unauthorized access or transfer of model information, source code, or customer data." Additionally, OpenAI's security team found a second device while inspecting an unauthorized bag belonging to Alfozan.
Alfozan has been charged with "using or attempting to use an electronic, mechanical, or other device to overhear conversations" and may face up to five years in prison and a fine of $250,000. He is scheduled to appear in federal court on October 19.
This event recalls a similar case in 2022 involving a former Twitter employee named Ahmad Abouammo, who was accused of espionage for Saudi officials as a spy.
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