A 20-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly throwing a Molotov cocktail at OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s San Francisco home.
The suspect also made threats at the company’s headquarters before he was arrested Friday, according to police.
Officers rushed to Altman’s home shortly after 4 a.m. Friday after someone threw an incendiary device, setting an exterior gate on fire, and then fled on foot, police said.
Less than an hour later, police were called to a business in a different part of town where a man had reportedly threatened to burn down the building.
Officers recognized the man as the same suspect and detained him, the police department posted on social media. Police haven't publicly identified the man.
OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, released a statement confirming that the home belongs to Altman and that the threats were made at its headquarters.
No one was hurt, the company said, and OpenAI is assisting in the investigation.
Authorities haven't charged or released details about the man they arrested, including his name or a possible motive.
“We deeply appreciate how quickly SFPD responded and the support from the city in helping keep our employees safe,” OpenAI wrote in a statement.
Altman, the co-founder and CEO, has become a preeminent voice in Silicon Valley on the promise and potential dangers of artificial intelligence.
He was fired by OpenAI in 2023 after a review found he was “not consistently candid in his communications” with the board of directors, but he was rehired just days later. He returned as CEO under a different board of directors.
Altman is a controversial figure, and the attack comes days after the New Yorker published an in-depth investigation that touched on concerns some people have about him and the company.
