A Saudi man has been charged with planting a "sophisticated" recording device in OpenAI's office
Prosecutors say the device, wrapped in toilet paper, was found in a USB port behind a television in an executive conference room.
A Saudi national has been charged with secretly installing a recording device at an OpenAI office in California, federal prosecutors said.
Abdul Rahman Al-Fouzan, who worked as an engineer at the AI company, was charged federally with using or attempting to use an electronic, mechanical or other device to intercept oral communications.
OpenAI said it discovered a "sophisticated recording device" hidden in their San Francisco office and alerted the FBI. The company said it used its artificial intelligence models to track whether it was planted by an employee.
Prosecutors say the device, wrapped in toilet paper, was found in a USB port behind a television in an executive conference room.
OpenAI, maker of the popular ChatGPT chatbot, said it had no indication of improper access to source code, model weights or customer data in the incident. He said that this employee has been fired.
According to the complaint, Alfuzan "allegedly hid a secret recording device in his employer's executive conference room to secretly record sensitive communications," FBI Director Kash Patel said in a statement.
Patel said the alleged purpose was to obtain information about the company's artificial intelligence product.
Prosecutors say Alfozan has been working as an engineer at OpenAI since July 2025.
On Sept. 30, OpenAI employees discovered the device — two days after prosecutors say it was installed. According to prosecutors, the device was encrypted.
OpenAI said they could use their AI models to understand the device and where it came from, and determine that a particular employee had used it a few days earlier.
According to the FBI, the suspect used a "productivity tool" and a "chatbot" to research sensitive locations in OpenAI and how to secretly place audio equipment.
The chatbots he allegedly searched for included "building, customizing, installing, recording, testing, obfuscating and remotely accessing a device," prosecutors allege.
He is also accused of using a chatbot to ask about "build[ing] a continuous audio recorder, "customizing Wi-Fi... connection", "enhancing[] sound and live listening" and "encrypt[ing] an SD card".
On Oct. 5, prosecutors say he allegedly returned to inspect the device in the office room. Prosecutors used CCTV footage to link him to the scene.
On the same day, Alfozan left a bag unattended in another part of the building. A security team for OpenAI opened it to find his wallet and ID, as well as another recording device that resembled the one found in the office's conference room, prosecutors said.
Alfozan appeared in court on Tuesday. It is unclear whether he has legal representation.
If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 (£187,000) fine.
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