Ex-OpenAI employee accused of planting device appears to have Saudi backing, US prosecutors say

WASHINGTON, Oct 19 : An ex-OpenAI engineer accused of planting a recording device in an executive conference room at the AI company appears to have received considerable support from the Saudi government, US prosecutors said in a court filing.

Federal prosecutors allege that the defendant, Abdulrahman Alfozan, 35, was in frequent communication with an unnamed member of the Saudi Royal family and that a member of the Saudi military paid for a one-way plane ticket for Alfozan's wife and son to return to Saudi Arabia, according to the court document, made public late on Sunday.

Prosecutors made those allegations as they asked a federal judge to keep Alfozan in US custody to await trial, arguing he is a flight risk. Alfozan, a Saudi national, is scheduled to appear in federal court in San Francisco later on Monday. 

The court filing alleges significant ties between the Saudi government and Alfozan. The case has highlighted security challenges around sensitive AI research as companies and governments compete fiercely for an edge in the transformational technology. 

The Saudi government media office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

US prosecutors charged Alfozan last week with using an electronic device to intercept oral communications. Alfozan plugged a recording device into the ⁠back of a television in an executive conference room at one of OpenAI's San Francisco buildings, according to a criminal complaint.