The 20-year-old suspect arrested in the firebomb attack on Sam Altman’s $27 million home was on a Discord server critical of AI development.
The suspect, identified by multiple media outlets as Daniel Alejandro Moreno-Gama, joined the server two years ago, according to PauseAI. The nonprofit is focusing on temporarily pausing the development of frontier AI models such as OpenAI’s GPT-5.4 and mitigating the risks they pose.
“Violence against anyone is antithetical to everything we stand for,” a statement on the group’s website reads.
The group said Morenogama posted a total of 34 messages on the Discord server, but none of the messages contained “an explicit call to violence.”
“He had no role in PauseAI, participated in any campaigns, attended any events, or received any support from us,” the statement said. “Following news of the attack, we have banned him from our servers.”
The host began deleting the messages after receiving news of the attack, but stopped doing so after determining that they may be related to the investigation.
“Our Discord server is a public community space. Like any open forum, people are free to join,” the statement said. “As the warning against this individual shows, we actively manage our channels and take enforcement seriously. However, we cannot predict or control the actions of everyone who joins our public servers. No organization can.”
San Francisco authorities arrested Moreno-Gama on Friday at 12:47 p.m., and he faces multiple charges. Charges include arson of a residential structure or property and attempted murder.
A San Francisco Police Department spokeswoman said officers were called to the North Beach home just after 4 a.m. local time to investigate the fire. According to a spokesperson, the fire was extinguished to the area near the outer gate, and there were no injuries.
The suspect fled the scene on foot. His description was later broadcast to all SFPD officers.
At approximately 5:07 a.m., officers were called to OpenAI’s offices to report a man threatening to burn down the building. A spokeswoman said officers found the man matched the description of the person who threw the Molotov cocktail at Altman’s home.
An OpenAI spokesperson confirmed the attack in a statement.
An OpenAI spokesperson said, “Early this morning, someone threw a Molotov cocktail at Sam Altman’s home and also made threats at our San Francisco headquarters. Fortunately, no one was injured. We deeply appreciate SFPD’s quick response and the city’s assistance in keeping our employees safe.”
Altman responded to the incident Friday in a blog post featuring a photo of her husband, Oliver Mulherin, and their son.
“I share the anti-technology sentiment, and it’s clear that technology isn’t always good for everyone. But overall, I believe that advances in technology will make the future incredibly better for your family and mine,” he wrote. “While we have such discussions, we should tone down our rhetoric and tactics and strive to create fewer outbursts at home, both figuratively and literally.”
The incident comes about five months after OpenAI directed employees at its headquarters to shelter in place due to a reported threat, prompting a police response. The threat came from an individual associated with an anti-AI activist group.
OpenAI has become a major player in the technology scene, earning Altman global attention. The billionaire has met with many world leaders, including President Donald Trump, and has become a titan in the industry.
However, public opinion towards AI has changed since the company released ChatGPT in 2022. OpenAI’s contract with the Department of Defense has drawn criticism, with protests sparked by concerns about how AI will affect the workforce.
Tech companies spend millions of dollars protecting their founders. Tesla will incur approximately $2.4 million in costs for these security services in 2023 and approximately $500,000 through February 2024, representing a portion of the total cost of security services related to Elon Musk, according to SEC filings. Facebook spent $20.4 million protecting CEO Mark Zuckerberg in 2019.
It’s unclear how much OpenAI is spending on Altman’s security.