OpenAI Engineer Arrested Over Hidden Recording Device in Offices

An employee at artificial intelligence firm OpenAI was arrested by US authorities after allegedly planting a recording device in an executive conference room.

A sophisticated recording device was discovered concealed in a roll of toilet paper inside an executive meeting room at artificial intelligence firm OpenAI, Business Insider and Wired reported. Following the discovery, the company contacted the FBI, and the US Department of Justice said a 35-year-old employee was arrested on October 9 in connection with the incident.

OpenAI stated that it used its own artificial intelligence models to understand the device and identify the employee who planted it. According to Wired, chatbot prompts submitted by the engineer revealed efforts to set up a covert listening device days before it was found. The FBI's investigation remains ongoing.