During the arrest, law enforcement officers seized a manifesto from the attacker, which he also sent to several news outlets. In the document, the first part of which is titled "Your Final Warning," the author declares the inevitable extinction of humanity due to the development of AI and directly admits to attempting to kill Sam Altman.
During the arrest, law enforcement officers seized a manifesto from the attacker, which he also sent to several news outlets. In the document, the first part of which is titled "Your Final Warning," the author declares the inevitable extinction of humanity due to the development of AI and directly admits to attempting to kill Sam Altman.
San Francisco prosecutors have charged a man who attacked the home of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman last Friday with attempted murder. Investigators say the suspect deliberately tried to kill the company's CEO because of his deep hatred of artificial intelligence technology.
The suspect, Daniel Moreno-Gama, will stand trial not only on local charges but also on a number of federal charges, including attempted destruction of property by explosives and possession of an unregistered weapon.
As Acting FBI Special Agent Matt Cobo said at a press conference, the attack "was not spontaneous - it was a planned, targeted and extremely serious act."
According to the case file, on Friday at around 3:37 a.m., Moreno-Gama threw a Molotov cocktail-type incendiary device at the gate of Altman's residence. The device caused a fire, but there were no injuries, and the attacker fled. At 5:00 a.m., the suspect appeared near the OpenAI headquarters and threw a chair through the glass door, threatening to "burn everything to the ground and kill everyone inside." Police detained him at the scene. He had a can of kerosene and a lighter with him.
During the arrest, law enforcement officers seized a 23-page manifesto from Moreno-Gama, which he also sent to several news outlets. In the document, the first part of which is titled "Your Final Warning," the author declares the inevitable extinction of humanity due to the development of AI and directly admits to the attempted murder of Sam Altman.
The manifesto also included the names and addresses of other top executives, board members, and investors in the AI space. The attacker concluded his letter directly to Altman: “If by some miracle you survive, I would take it as a sign from a higher power that you should atone for your guilt.”
FBI Director Kesh Patel said the agency, together with partners, also conducted a related operation in Texas.
OpenAI thanked the San Francisco police for their quick response and safety. Shortly after the incident, Sam Altman posted a family photo with his husband and child on his blog.
"Usually we try to keep our lives pretty private, but in this case I'm sharing the photo in the hope that it might deter the next person from throwing a Molotov cocktail at our house, regardless of what they think of me," Altman wrote.
He admitted that he underestimated the power of narratives, and added that while fear and anxiety about AI are justified, the industry and critics need to tone down the rhetoric and avoid radical actions.
It is worth noting that the Molotov cocktail attack was not the only incident. On Sunday, another attack took place near Altman's house, this time with the use of firearms . Two people were arrested on suspicion of this crime.
The violence has already been condemned by civil society organizations that have previously been harsh critics of AI. Anthony Aguirre, president of the Future of Life Institute, stressed that “violence and intimidation of any kind have no place in the discussion about the future of artificial intelligence.”
