San Francisco police arrested an individual early on Friday morning for allegedly attacking the home of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and making threats outside of the company’s headquarters, a spokesperson confirmed to WIRED. OpenAI’s corporate security team sent a note to employees about the incident on Friday.
“At approximately 3:45am PT, an unidentified individual approached Sam’s residence and threw an incendiary device toward the property. The device landed nearby and extinguished. There were no injuries and only minimal damage was reported,” the message to staff reads.
“Shortly afterward, an individual matching the suspect’s description was contacted by security outside MB1,” the message continues, referring to OpenAI’s headquarters in San Francisco’s Mission Bay neighborhood. “This person made threatening statements about the building.”
OpenAI’s corporate security team told staff it is cooperating with law enforcement on an investigation, and that employees may notice an increased police and security presence around the office on Friday. The security team said that the company’s offices remain open, but employees were advised to “not let anyone tailgate into the building.”
“Early this morning, someone threw a Molotov cocktail at Sam Altman’s home and also made threats at our San Francisco headquarters. Thankfully, no one was hurt,” said OpenAI spokesperson Kayla Wood in an email to WIRED. “We deeply appreciate how quickly SFPD responded and the support from the city in helping keep our employees safe. The individual is in custody, and we’re assisting law enforcement with their investigation.”
The San Francisco Police Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
This is the latest incident in which OpenAI’s office and staff has been threatened. In November of last year, OpenAI locked down its San Francisco office following an alleged threat from an activist. In February 2025, protesters were arrested for locking the front doors to OpenAI’s office.
