Former OpenAI Engineer Pleads Not Guilty to Planting Covert Device in Executive Meeting Room

A former OpenAI engineer has pleaded not guilty to planting a covert device in a company meeting room. The engineer, a Saudi national named Abdulrahman Alfozan, entered the plea in a San Francisco federal court. He is scheduled to appear in court again on November 17, 2026. If found guilty, he will face consequences, although the specific charges and potential penalties are not detailed. The device in question was an audio recording device planted in an executive meeting room at OpenAI's office. The case is ongoing, with the next hearing set for later this month.