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

​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.