A Saudi national who worked for OpenAI appeared in court this week for allegedly planting a secret recording device behind a TV in one of the tech giant's meeting rooms. Abdulrahman Alfozan, a 35-year-old engineer, was arrested by the FBI and charged with using or attempting to use a device "to intercept oral communications". As yet, it is not clear what he was planning to do with the recordings. But, here's what we know so far.
Allegations Against Alfozan
The engineer reportedly asked AI to help him listen in on discussions about AI, according to an official complaint filed in court. Between 17 August and 16 September, Alfozan had asked a productivity AI assistant several questions about meeting rooms and their availability. Some of the questions detailed in the complaint include:
- "How about external partners, where would they usually meet with OpenAI at?"
- "Can you list today's meetings in this room?"
In September, Alfozan allegedly used a chatbot associated with his spouse to inquire about how to build and install a recording device and how to access it remotely. He had worked at the firm for around a year before he allegedly attempted to plant a recorder.
Discovery of the Device
The room where the device was found was regularly used to hold meetings discussing "highly confidential technical, commercial and strategic information" as well as OpenAI's "government engagements and commercial relationships". The complaint states that Alfozan had no authority to access or be involved with meetings in the room. CCTV footage recorded him near the conference room on eight separate occasions in September.
