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Saudi OpenAI engineer had booked one-way flight to Saudi Arabia before his FBI arrest over spy device

The encrypted recording device Alfozan allegedly concealed was discovered during a security sweep on 30 September, with OpenAI deploying its own AI models to identify him as the culprit.
The encrypted recording device Alfozan allegedly concealed was discovered during a security sweep on 30 September, with OpenAI deploying its own AI models to identify him as the culprit.
Abdulrahman Alfozan, the Saudi OpenAI engineer accused of concealing a recording device to intercept communications about the company's superintelligence technology, made his first federal court appearance on Tuesday.
Abdulrahman Alfozan, the Saudi OpenAI engineer accused of concealing a recording device to intercept communications about the company's superintelligence technology, made his first federal court appearance on Tuesday.

Abdulrahman Alfozan, 35, a Saudi national employed as an OpenAI engineer, had booked one-way flights to Saudi Arabia on October 12 for himself, his wife and a third family member before FBI agents arrested him over a covert recording device found at OpenAI's San Francisco headquarters in an executive conference room. Prosecutors are treating the case as a national security matter amid America's AI race with China. OpenAI used its own AI models to connect the device to Alfozan within days of its discovery.

The thumb-sized device, concealed in toilet paper and drawing power from a TV's USB port, was recovered on September 30 from a room where discussions on confidential research, product plans and government contracts took place.

Alfozan's wife allegedly turned to a chatbot to research how to build, install and remotely access a continuous audio recorder — with her queries referencing the same device's unique identifiers.

CCTV footage then captured Alfozan re-entering the room on October 5 and appearing to inspect the area behind the TV where the device had been hidden, effectively clinching the FBI's case against him.

MoreFinancial TimesOpenAI employee accused of bugging office booked one-way ticket to Saudi ArabiaBBC News - BusinessToilet paper and secret recorders: What we know about the arrest of the Saudi OpenAI engineerFinancial TimesHe linked Saudi Arabia to Silicon Valley. Then OpenAI found a bug wrapped in toilet paperDaily MailSaudi OpenAI engineer accused of planting recording device in offices to record top secret meetingsThe IndependentSaudi engineer accused of planting secret listening device inside OpenAI HQAOL News UKSaudi OpenAI employee arrested after recording device found in headquartersFox NewsOpenAI engineer arrested after recording device found at San Francisco officeMetroMoment OpenAI engineer 'caught looking at spy device he left in top secret room'
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