Texas Home Searched
The FBI raided the Spring, Texas, home of 20-year-old Daniel Moreno-Gama, the suspect accused of throwing a Molotov cocktail at OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's San Francisco residence. FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed the operation on social media, noting that the FBI San Francisco would host a news conference at 3 p.m. PT/6 p.m. ET.
Charges Filed
The Department of Justice filed federal charges against Moreno-Gama, including attempted damage and destruction of property by means of explosives and possession of an unregistered firearm.
Details of the Attack
Moreno-Gama allegedly traveled from Spring, Texas, to San Francisco to target Altman's home. The attack occurred early Friday morning, setting an exterior gate on fire. No one was injured.
Anti-AI Writings
Court documents reveal that Moreno-Gama opposed artificial intelligence. He had a list of other AI tech executives. The paper advocated for violence against people developing AI.
NBC News reports that the 23-page diatribe, arguing that humanity is quickly accelerating towards extinction, was emailed to NBC News and other news organizations from an email address with Moreno-Gama’s name.
Evidence Recovered
When Moreno-Gama was arrested Friday, officials found a document on him identifying views opposed to AI and the executives of various AI companies. San Francisco police officers recovered a copy of his anti-AI diatribe, a kerosene jug, and a lighter. The criminal complaint includes photos of a person identified in the document as Moreno-Gama striking the glass doors of an office building with a chair.
Altman's Response
Altman posted a photo of his husband and their toddler in a blog post addressing the threats against him. He hoped it might dissuade the next person from throwing a Molotov cocktail at their house. Altman said that "fear and anxiety about AI is justified" but it was important to "de-escalate the rhetoric and tactics and try to have fewer explosions in fewer homes, figuratively and literally."
Industry Reaction
Anthony Aguirre, president and CEO of the Future of Life Institute, said that "violence and intimidation of any kind have no place in the conversation about the future of AI."
The sources also report that Moreno-Gama emailed this paper to NBC News and several other news organizations shortly after the attack.