OpenAI reported on Tuesday that the FBI had apprehended one of its staff members in connection with a sophisticated listening device discovered concealed in one of the company’s facilities. The creator of ChatGPT utilized its internal AI models to pinpoint the individual responsible for planting the device and track its origins, as stated in a post by X. The AI company mentioned that there is no evidence of the individual in question inappropriately accessing or extracting model weights, source code, or customer data. The employee was terminated, according to OpenAI.
OpenAI emphasized that its security measures are designed to safeguard against various threats, including insider risks, cybercriminals, and nation states, showcasing how AI can effectively combat these advanced security challenges. The company disclosed that it has escalated the issue to the FBI, which is currently conducting an investigation. The FBI has not responded immediately to a request from Reuters for further information.
Earlier this year, a Texas resident was charged with hurling a Molotov cocktail at the residence of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and attempting to set fire to the company’s headquarters. OpenAI has come under scrutiny for security incidents involving its AI systems. Recent reports from Reuters and other media outlets indicated that the company informed investors of a nearly $50 billion US annualized revenue for September, a decrease from previous indications.
OpenAI recently terminated three researchers after an internal investigation revealed violations of company policies regarding the handling of sensitive information. This decision followed the publication of a letter by the researchers, Jasmine Wang, Tomek Korbak, and Mikita Balesni, detailing the circumstances of their dismissal and expressing concerns that the abrupt firings could create uncertainty among employees and undermine a culture that encouraged researchers to raise safety issues.