BBNBonkers Broadcasting NetworkTuesday, October 13, 2026Tue, Oct 13Watch live

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OpenAI employee arrested for allegedly planting recording device

Prosecutors charge the 35-year-old with intercepting oral communications after the company says it found the device in an office; the case rests on allegations so far.

On air: Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield on The Five O'Clock
Published
Photo: Coolcaesar · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
▶ As it aired · Tech

Watch it as it aired: Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield on this story, from The Five O'Clock at 4:55 PM ET. Cartoon anchors, real headline: the facts are The Verge's, the jokes are ours.

Photo: OpenAI
Photo: Coolcaesar · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

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What BBN said about it

  1. Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentAn OpenAI engineer, thirty-five-year-old Abdulrahman Alfozan, was arrested after the company said it found a sophisticated recording device hidden in one of its offices.

  2. Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentHe is charged with using or attempting to use a device to intercept oral communications, according to The San Francisco Standard, and he is only accused so far.

  3. Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentA sophisticated hidden recorder. That is a full spy movie happening at a chatbot company, and I need to know what it looked like.

  4. Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentThe company hasn't said what it looked like, and the charge is only an allegation.

  5. Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentWhat I can say is that you'd be shocked to learn how many devices listen to you at home.

  6. Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentMine only listens when I ask it for the weather.

  7. Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentThat is exactly what it wants you to believe.

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