Key Points:
- Man charged with attempted murder after Molotov attack on Sam Altman’s home.
- Prosecutors state the motive was hatred of AI technology.
- Suspect’s document detailed intent to kill Altman and listed other AI executives.
- Altman called for reduced rhetoric in the AI industry following the attack.
Prosecutors announced Monday that a man accused of throwing a lit Molotov cocktail at OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s home last week was trying to kill him. They say his motive stemmed from a hatred of artificial intelligence technology. The San Francisco District Attorney has charged the suspect, Daniel Moreno-Gama, with attempted murder. Moreno-Gama also faces federal charges, including attempted damage and destruction of property by explosives and possession of an unregistered firearm, according to the Department of Justice.
FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Cobo described the incident in a statement: “The charges announced today reflect a deeply concerning escalation from intent to action targeting a private residence and a technology company with violence.” At a Monday press conference, Cobo emphasized, “This was not spontaneous. This was planned, targeted and extremely serious.”
After police arrested Moreno-Gama following the Friday attack, San Francisco Police Department officers found a document on him detailing his intentions. A complaint filed in San Francisco federal court on Monday revealed Moreno-Gama’s goal to kill Altman and his warning of humanity’s “impending extinction” due to AI. While Altman isn’t directly named, the filing describes “Victim-1” as the CEO of “a research company that deploys and develops artificial intelligence (AI) and operates in interstate and foreign commerce.”
The document, titled “Your Last Warning,” stated that Moreno-Gama “killed /attempted to kill” Victim-1 and also listed names and addresses of other AI executives, board members, and investors. A second section, “some more words on the matter of our impending extinction,” discussed AI’s supposed risks to humanity. Moreno-Gama ended the document with a direct letter to Altman, saying, “if by some miracle you live, then I would take this as a sign from the divine to redeem yourself.”
FBI Director Kash Patel mentioned on Monday that the agency conducted an operation in Texas related to the attack on Altman’s home. On Friday at around 3:37 a.m., Moreno-Gama allegedly threw “a lit Molotov cocktail-style incendiary device” at Altman’s home. The device started a fire at the top of the driveway gate, but no one was hurt, and Moreno-Gama fled.
Around 5:00 a.m., the suspect arrived at OpenAI’s headquarters, threw a chair at the glass doors, and threatened “to burn it down and kill anyone inside.” Officers responded and arrested Moreno-Gama. An OpenAI spokesperson confirmed the attack on Friday, stating, “Thankfully, no one was hurt,” and thanked the SFPD for their quick response.
On his personal blog Friday, Altman addressed the attack, sharing a family photo and writing that he “underestimated the power of words and narratives.” He described the past few years as “extremely intense, chaotic, and high-pressure” and urged for a reduction in “the rhetoric and tactics” within the AI industry. Altman’s home reportedly faced a second attack involving gunfire on Sunday, resulting in two arrests.
