Man charged with attempted murder after attack on OpenAI CEO Altman’s home technology news

A 20-year-old Texan faces a possible life sentence after an arson attack on Sam Altman’s San Francisco residence.

Authorities in the United States have charged a 20-year-old Texas man with murder and attempted arson after allegedly throwing a Molotov cocktail at the home of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.

San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said Monday that Daniel Moreno-Gama faces two counts of attempted murder and nine other charges following the arson attack on Altman’s residence in San Francisco last week.

“We interpret this behaviour for what it is—an attempt on Mr. Altman’s life and an extreme threat to those around him and those who work for his company,” Jenkins said at a news conference.

“As DA, my office will prosecute this case to the fullest extent of the law.”

Moreno-Gama also faces separate federal charges of attempting to damage and destroy property by means of explosives and possession of an unregistered firearm.

Moreno-Gama faces the possibility of life in prison under the charges.

Moreno-Gama, of Houston, Texas, was captured on a security camera throwing an incendiary device at Altman’s home just after 3:30 a.m. local time on Friday, according to an FBI affidavit.

The suspect then travelled to OpenAI’s San Francisco headquarters, where he attacked the building’s glass doors with a chair and stated his intention to “burn it down and kill anyone inside”, according to an affidavit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

According to the affidavit, after arresting Moreno-Gama at the scene, police recovered incendiary devices, a container of kerosene, a lighter and a document supporting the protests of artificial intelligence and technology officials, including Altman.

Documents recovered at the scene stated that Moreno-Gama had killed or attempted to kill Altman, and he must “lead by example and show that I am completely true to my message,”, according to the filing.

Altman, whose company’s release of ChatGPIT in 2022 marked a turning point in the rollout of AI, has become a lightning rod for heated discussions about the potential risks and benefits of the rapidly advancing technology.

In a blog post following Friday’s arson attack, Altman said that while much of the criticism of the tech industry was driven by serious concerns about the “incredibly high stakes” of AI, now is the time to turn down the heat of the public debate.

“While we have that debate, we should tone down the rhetoric and tactics and try to explode less in fewer homes,” Altman said.

At his press conference, Jenkins critiqued “incendiary rhetoric” about the potential impact of AI on society.

“In no way should we be at a point where a man has to lose his life because of differences of opinion and concerns,” he said.