Toilet paper and secret recorders: What we know about the arrest of the Saudi OpenAI engineer

Image source, Reuters/DOJ Image caption, A recording device (R) was wrapped in toilet paper and plugged into a TV (L)

A Saudi national who worked for OpenAI appeared in court this week for allegedly planting a secret recording device behind a TV in one of the tech giant's meeting rooms.

Abdulrahman Alfozan, a 35-year-old engineer, was arrested by the FBI and charged with using or attempting to use a device "to intercept oral communications".

As yet, it is not clear what he was planning to do with the recordings.

The engineer asked AI to help him listen in to discussions about AI, according to an official complaint (the document filed in court).

Between 17 August and 16 September, Alfozan had reportedly asked a productivity AI assistant several questions about meeting rooms and their availability.