San Francisco: OpenAI reportedly used its artificial intelligence models and digital forensic tools to trace a concealed recording device found inside its office and identify an employee accused of planting it to capture confidential discussions about the company’s AI technology.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has arrested Abdulrahman Alfozan, a 35-year-old Saudi national and US permanent resident who worked as an engineer at OpenAI. He is accused of placing a recording device inside an executive conference room at the company’s San Francisco office.

According to the US Department of Justice (DOJ), the alleged plan was intended to secretly capture sensitive communications involving OpenAI’s technology. Alfozan was arrested on October 9 and made his initial appearance in federal court on Tuesday, according to the report published by India Today on October 14.

OpenAI said it used its internal AI models to investigate the device, trace its origin and identify the employee allegedly responsible. The company subsequently informed the FBI about the incident.

How OpenAI Discovered the Recording Device

OpenAI employees discovered the thumb-sized recording device on September 30 during a security sweep aimed at identifying possible surveillance threats.

According to the report, the device had been concealed in toilet paper and inserted into a USB port behind a television in an executive conference room. It reportedly contained a microphone, a detachable camera sensor and microSD storage.

The room was frequently used for discussions involving highly confidential matters between OpenAI executives.

After discovering the device, the company began examining it to determine its origin and establish how it had been installed. OpenAI said it used internal AI models to help understand the device and trace it back to a specific employee.

“We used our models to understand the device and where it had come from, identifying that a specific employee had planted it a few days earlier,” the company said, according to the report.

OpenAI determined that the device had been installed on or around September 28. Its contents were encrypted, preventing the company from accessing the recordings stored on it.

The investigation ultimately led OpenAI to notify federal authorities, bringing the FBI into the case.

Employee Allegedly Used AI Chatbot to Plan Surveillance

Investigators allege that Alfozan used an AI chatbot account associated with his spouse to seek information about constructing and installing a concealed recording device.

According to the DOJ allegations cited in the report, the queries made between September 24 and September 30 concerned building, customising, installing, testing and remotely accessing a device capable of recording audio while remaining concealed.

Investigators also allege that Alfozan used a productivity tool to obtain information about OpenAI’s buildings, meeting rooms, room capacities, calendars, executive locations and meetings with external partners.

These activities are now part of the investigation into the alleged surveillance attempt.

The case highlights an unusual aspect of the incident: AI tools were allegedly used to help plan the surveillance activity, while OpenAI subsequently used its own AI models to investigate the device and identify the suspected employee.

However, the allegations remain subject to the legal process, and the reported use of the tools does not by itself establish guilt.

CCTV Footage and a Second Recording Device

According to the complaint described in the report, CCTV footage showed Alfozan near the conference room on several dates, even though he was allegedly not authorised to access the room or attend meetings there.

Investigators also examined footage from October 5, which allegedly showed him entering the conference room and looking behind the television.

On the same day, Alfozan reportedly left a bag unattended in another room. OpenAI security personnel searched the bag and found his wallet, identification documents and a second encrypted recording device similar to the one discovered in the conference room.

Prosecutors allege that Alfozan later retrieved the bag from the lost-and-found area and reported that some belongings were missing without mentioning the second device.

These details have become part of the evidence being examined by investigators as they seek to establish the circumstances surrounding the alleged surveillance attempt.

The devices’ encrypted contents and the evidence collected from the office are relevant to determining whether sensitive conversations were recorded or accessed.

OpenAI Says No Customer Data Was Compromised

Despite the discovery of the recording devices, OpenAI said it had found no indication that the incident resulted in the unauthorised access or removal of sensitive company information.

“At this time, we have no indications of this individual inappropriately accessing or exfiltrating model weights, source code, or customer data,” the company said.

The statement indicates that, based on the company’s findings at the time of the report, there was no evidence that the employee had improperly accessed or extracted those categories of information.

OpenAI terminated Alfozan’s contract following the incident.

The company’s use of AI models to investigate the device also demonstrates how the technology can be applied to internal security investigations, particularly when examining unfamiliar devices and tracing their possible origins.

The investigation nevertheless involves allegations of attempted surveillance, and the available information does not establish that the device successfully captured confidential discussions.

Who Is Abdulrahman Alfozan?

Alfozan is a 35-year-old Saudi national who holds permanent residency in the United States. He joined OpenAI in July 2025 and worked as an engineering lead, focusing on AI agents and the company’s data platform, according to the report.

He has also been associated with venture capital firm Raed Ventures, where he served as a venture partner.

Before joining OpenAI, Alfozan worked at several technology companies. His professional background included a stint at Meta between 2017 and 2022, along with internship experience at Microsoft and SAP.

He studied computer science and engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and later earned a master’s degree in data science from the University of California, Berkeley, according to a separate India Today report about his background.

FBI Investigation and Potential Penalties

Alfozan was arrested on October 9 and appeared in federal court on Tuesday, October 13, according to the report.

The allegations could carry significant legal consequences if he is convicted. India Today reported that he faces a potential prison sentence of up to five years, a fine of up to $250,000, equivalent to approximately Rs 2.37 crore as cited in the report, and three years of supervised release.

The case concerns the alleged use of an electronic recording device to capture sensitive communications without authorisation. The investigation is being handled with the involvement of federal authorities.

The allegations have also drawn attention to workplace security at companies developing advanced AI technology, where confidential discussions, proprietary systems and technical information can be valuable targets.

For OpenAI, the discovery led to an internal investigation, the identification of a suspected employee and notification of the FBI. The company has said it found no evidence that model weights, source code or customer data were improperly accessed or extracted.

The legal proceedings will determine the outcome of the allegations against Alfozan.