A man has been arrested after allegedly throwing a Molotov cocktail at the home of Sam Altman, the Jewish-American CEO of OpenAI, in what authorities describe as a targeted, ideologically motivated attack.
According to police in San Francisco, the suspect, identified as Daniel Moreno-Gama, carried out the attack overnight, causing a fire that damaged the property. No injuries were reported.
Prosecutors say Moreno-Gama was driven by extreme beliefs about artificial intelligence, claiming such technologies could lead to “the extinction of humanity." Investigators reportedly found a document in his possession outlining a plan to kill Altman, along with a list of other senior AI figures and their personal details.
The FBI described the incident as “planned, targeted and particularly serious," warning it reflects a concerning escalation from rhetoric to violence against members of the technology sector.
Authorities also said that after the attack, the suspect went to OpenAI’s offices, where he allegedly attempted to break in and threatened to set the building on fire and harm those inside. He was arrested at the scene.
In a separate development, police are investigating a shooting incident that also targeted Altman’s home, in which two additional suspects were detained. It remains unclear whether the incidents are connected.
An OpenAI spokesperson confirmed that no one was harmed and thanked law enforcement for their swift response, adding that the company is cooperating fully to ensure staff safety.
In a statement following the incident, Altman acknowledged the growing tensions surrounding artificial intelligence, describing recent years as “intense and particularly stressful," and called for a more measured and constructive public discourse on the technology.