A former OpenAI engineer, Abdulrahman Alfozan, was arrested by the FBI for allegedly bugging a top-secret conference room to steal AI secrets, with evidence suggesting he may have been acting for Saudi Arabia's benefit. Court filings reveal he had a folder labeled "Saudi Gov Docs" on his iPhone and was communicating with a Saudi royal family member while planning to relocate to Saudi Arabia with government-paid flights.
Background
Saudi Arabia is heavily investing in AI through its public investment fund and national AI strategy, making it a target of interest for both corporate and state espionage in the sector.
- Source
- Ars Technica
- Published
- Oct 20, 2026 at 04:21 AM
- Score
- 8.0 / 10