The FBI has taken an OpenAI engineer into custody following the discovery of a clandestine recording device at the company’s San Francisco headquarters. The device, described as thumb-sized, was reportedly found connected to a USB port located behind a television in an executive meeting room. According to reports, the discovery prompted an immediate investigation into the breach of security within the high-profile artificial intelligence firm.

While the core facts of the arrest and the location of the device are consistent across reports, the outlets differ on the specific details of the device's concealment. Middle East Eye reports that the device was found behind a television, whereas Ars Technica specifies that the device was hidden within a toilet paper roll located in the same meeting room.

Legal consequences for the engineer are significant. Ars Technica reports that the individual faces federal charges that could result in a five-year prison sentence and a $250,000 fine, characterizing the allegations as foreign espionage. Middle East Eye focuses primarily on the identification of the suspect as a Saudi national and the physical discovery of the hardware. As of now, OpenAI has not released a detailed statement regarding the extent of the data potentially compromised by the device or the specific nature of the meetings that were targeted.