SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- One of the leading frontier artificial intelligence labs recently uncovered a recording device surreptitiously placed in one of its offices. San Francisco-based OpenAI revealed the find in a social media post Tuesday. "We discovered a sophisticated recording device that was hidden inside one of our offices," wrote OpenAI in a post. The AI company, which is based in San Francisco, said it used its models to understand the device and where it had come from. Guilfoyle resigns after allegations of improper conduct The device, according to OpenAI, had been planted a few days earlier by an employee. OpenAI referred the matter to the FBI. The FBI identified the OpenAI employee who planted the device as Abdulrahman Alfozan. Alfozan, 35, has been employed as an engineer at OpenAI since 2025. According to the agency, he planted the device in a USB port on the back of a TV in an executive conference room on or around Sept. 30, 2026. Photo: FBI Information on the device was encrypted, the FBI said. OpenAI said it had no indications that Alfozan had inappropriately accessed or exfiltrated "model weights, source code, or customer data." Alfozan has since been terminated from OpenAI, the parent company of the popular ChatGPT chatbot. "We take protecting our technology, data, and people seriously, and as a matter of national importance," said OpenAI. "Our security program is designed to protect against a wide range of threat actors, from insider risks to cybercriminals to nation states, and this case is an example of how AI can help address these sophisticated security threats." The FBI cited CCTV footage that allegedly showed Alfozan near the executive conference room where the device was placed on several dates prior to it being discovered. The room, the FBI said, was frequently used for discussions of "highly confidential" technical, commercial and strategic information. Alfozan had no authority to access the conference room or participate in meetings there. The FBI cited a complaint indicating Alfozan left an unattended bag in a different room in an OpenAI building on Oct. 5. Security personnel found and opened the bag, discovering his wallet and ID, and a recording device similar to the one found in the conference room. The device discovered in the conference room was wrapped in toilet paper, according to the FBI. Alfozan was subsequently arrested by the FBI. If convicted, he could face up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Alfozan is a Saudi national, according to the FBI. ...read more read less