A software engineer employed by OpenAI has been taken into federal custody after investigators uncovered a covert audio recording device concealed inside a conference room at the artificial intelligence company’s offices. The suspect, identified as 35-year-old Abdulrahman Alfozan, a Saudi national, was arrested last Friday following a joint investigation between OpenAI and the FBI.
Federal court documents filed in San Francisco reveal that the recording device was discovered on September 30, tucked inside toilet paper and plugged into a USB port on the back of a conference room television. OpenAI confirmed the discovery in a public statement, describing the gadget as a sophisticated piece of surveillance equipment hidden within one of its office spaces.
The company said it actually deployed its own AI technology to help trace the origin of the device and pinpoint who had planted it. OpenAI then turned the findings over to federal authorities, who moved swiftly to make an arrest within days.
Surveillance footage from inside the building showed Alfozan repeatedly entering the area near the targeted conference room on approximately six occasions last month, even though he had no authorized access to that space. After the device was found, OpenAI installed a camera in the room, which later captured Alfozan returning and checking behind the television where the recorder had been placed.
Investigators also noted that Alfozan had used an internal productivity platform to search for information about the company’s building locations, meeting room layouts, capacities, and scheduling calendars. The searches raised additional red flags for investigators building their case.
In another troubling detail, authorities say that before his arrest, Alfozan left an unattended bag in a separate room within the building. Inside the bag were his wallet, personal identification, and a second recording device.
Alfozan made his initial court appearance Tuesday on a charge of using or attempting to use an electronic or mechanical device to intercept oral communications. It was not immediately known whether he had retained legal representation.
OpenAI stated that at this time there is no evidence the former employee improperly accessed or removed model weights, source code, or any customer data. The company confirmed Alfozan has been terminated. Federal investigators have not publicly disclosed what Alfozan intended to do with any recordings he may have captured. The FBI’s investigation remains active and ongoing.