A Saudi-born engineer at OpenAI’s San Francisco office has been arrested for planting an audio recording device hidden in toilet paper in an executive conference room, the case is being investigated by the FBI.
New Delhi: A sensational case of espionage has come to light from the San Francisco office of AI company OpenAI in America. A Saudi-origin engineer working in the company has been arrested for secretly installing an audio recording device. The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has confirmed this arrest.
According to the DOJ, the accused engineer was secretly installing a recording device in the company’s executive conference room. This matter has come to light at a time when there is increasing concern all over the world regarding the safety of advanced AI research and there is a competition among companies regarding technology and experts.
Device found in USB behind TV
According to the information, on September 30, a suspicious device was found in the USB port behind the TV in the executive conference room of OpenAI’s San Francisco office. This thumb-sized device was hidden by wrapping it in toilet paper. It had a microphone and was connected to the camera. Investigation revealed that it was planted around September 28.
When the personal bag of the accused was searched after the complaint given to the FBI, a similar customized device was found in it. Giving information on social media, OpenAI said that the accused has been identified and he has been living in America as a legal permanent resident since September 2020.
Possible punishment of 5 years in jail and heavy fine
According to media reports, the name of the arrested engineer is said to be Alfojan. If he is found guilty in the investigation, he can be sentenced to up to 5 years in jail, a fine of around $2.5 lakh i.e. around Rs 2.2 crore and surveillance for up to 3 years. OpenAI has said that the company is very serious about the security of its employees and sensitive research and such activities will not be tolerated at all. The FBI is investigating the matter.