A 20-year-old man from Texas has been charged with federal offences after allegedly throwing a Molotov cocktail at the San Francisco home of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. Daniel Moreno-Gama faces charges of possession of an unregistered firearm and attempted damage and destruction of property by means of explosives, according to a criminal complaint.
Authorities state Moreno-Gama travelled from Texas to California and, in the early hours of Friday morning, launched the incendiary device at two neighbouring properties owned by Altman. The attack caused a fire at a driveway gate before the suspect fled the scene.
Threats at Headquarters and Arrest
Approximately 90 minutes after the initial attack, the suspect arrived at OpenAI's headquarters in San Francisco. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) affidavits state he used a chair to strike the building's glass doors. On-site security personnel reported that Moreno-Gama declared he had come to "burn it down and kill anyone inside."
The San Francisco Police Department subsequently arrested Moreno-Gama. During the arrest, officers recovered "incendiary devices," a jug of kerosene, a lighter, and a document described by federal agents as an "anti-AI" manifesto.
Contents of the 'Anti-AI' Document
The three-part document, detailed in court papers, outlined views "opposed to Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the executives of various AI companies." The first section, titled "Your Last Warning" and bearing the suspect's name, claimed he had "killed/attempted to kill" Altman, referred to as "Victim-1" in the documents.
"Also if I am going to advocate for others to kill and commit crimes, then I must lead by example and show that I am fully sincere in my message," the document stated, according to the FBI affidavit.
This section also contained a list of names and addresses of apparent board members, AI company CEOs, and investors. The second part, titled "Some more words on the matter of our impending extinction," detailed the "purported risk AI poses to humanity." The third was a letter addressed directly to Altman.
Ongoing Investigation and Context
The letter to Altman began with "if you make it," and continued: "If by some miracle you live, then I would take this as a sign from the divine to redeem yourself." Sam Altman later confirmed the attack on his personal blog.
Daniel Moreno-Gama was also booked on multiple state charges, including attempted murder. It is not yet clear if he has retained legal representation. The federal investigation is ongoing, with authorities examining the full scope of the threats outlined in the recovered documents.