An unnamed suspect has been arrested for throwing a Molotov cocktail at the home of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman in the early morning hours of Friday, according to statements from the company and the San Francisco Police Department.
“Early this morning, someone threw a Molotov cocktail at Sam Altman’s home and also made threats at our San Francisco headquarters. Thankfully, no one was hurt,” a spokesperson for OpenAI told Gizmodo in an emailed statement.
“We deeply appreciate how quickly SFPD responded and the support from the city in helping keep our employees safe. The individual is in custody, and we’re assisting law enforcement with their investigation,” the statement continued.
The incident happened at about 4:12 a.m. on Friday, according to a statement from SFPD, when officers responded to a fire investigation in the San Francisco neighborhood of North Beach.
“At the scene, officers learned that an unknown male subject threw an incendiary destructive device at a home, causing a fire to an exterior gate. The suspect then fled on foot. There were no injuries reported as a result of this incident,” SFPD said in a statement.
The suspect then went to OpenAI headquarters, where he allegedly said he was going to burn down the building and was arrested, according to SFPD.
“At approximately 5:07 a.m., SFPD officers responded to a business on the 1400 block of 3rd street regarding an unknown male subject threatening to burn down the building. When officers arrived on scene, they recognized the male to be the same suspect from the earlier incident and immediately detained him.
Generative AI is an extremely polarizing technology, with a new poll from Gallup showing young people in particular are increasingly skeptical of the hype. Last year, 27% of people aged 14-29 said they felt hopeful about AI. That’s plummeted to just 18% according to a survey released Thursday. Thirty-one percent said AI made them feel “angry.”
Altman has been under scrutiny this week after The New Yorker published an article by Ronan Farrow critical of the tech founder. Farrow paints a picture of a man who lies about things large and small and was fired by the OpenAI board back in 2023 for being too dishonest. Altman was reinstated to his position after significant outcry from Democratic lawmakers like Chuck Schumer and employees at OpenAI.
Charges against the 20-year-old suspect are still pending, and the investigation remains ongoing, according to SFPD.
