A 20-year-old man has been arrested after allegedly throwing a Molotov cocktail at the home of OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman in the early hours of Friday morning, according to US media reports.
The incident reportedly took place at Altman’s residence in the Russian Hill area of San Francisco and was captured on surveillance cameras shortly before 7am local time.
Authorities said the suspect was later seen making threats outside OpenAI’s Mission Bay offices later that morning, before being detained by police around 9am.
An OpenAI spokesperson confirmed the incident, saying no one was injured and thanking law enforcement for their swift response. The company added that it is cooperating with investigators.
Police reports indicated that the suspect allegedly made threats about setting fire to a building outside a business on 3rd Street, near OpenAI’s headquarters. Officers have not yet confirmed formal charges, and investigations are ongoing.
The arrest has raised fresh concerns over security risks involving high-profile figures in the artificial intelligence sector, which has seen increasing public attention and scrutiny as the industry expands rapidly.
Authorities have not released further details on the suspect’s identity or possible motive at this stage.
