OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s home targeted in Molotov cocktail attack

play Live Sign upShow navigation menu.css-15ru6p1{font-size:inherit;font-weight:normal;}Navigation menuNewsShow more news sectionsAfricaAsiaUS & CanadaLatin AmericaEuropeAsia PacificMiddle EastExplainedOpinionSportVideoMoreShow more sectionsFeaturesEconomyHuman RightsClimate CrisisInvestigationsInteractivesIn PicturesScience & TechnologyPodcastsTravelplay Live Click here to searchsearchSign upNavigation menucaret-leftTrendingUS-Israeli war on IranTracking Israel's ceasefire violationsRussia-Ukraine warDonald TrumpArtemis IIcaret-rightNews|CrimeOpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s home targeted in Molotov cocktail attackPolice said the suspect targeted Altman’s San Francisco residence before dawn and fled the scene on foot. xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogleAdd Al Jazeera on GoogleinfoCEO of OpenAI Sam Altman speaks during the 2026 Infrastructure Summit [File: Kylie Cooper/Reuters]By Elizabeth Melimopoulos and ReutersPublished On 10 Apr 202610 Apr 2026A 20-year-old man has been arrested by San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) after a Molotov cocktail was thrown at the home of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman early on Friday morning. Police in the United States said the suspect targeted the property at about 4am local time (11:00 GMT), allegedly throwing an improvised incendiary device that ignited part of an exterior gate before fleeing the scene on foot. Authorities did not publicly identify the suspect or confirm the address where the attack took place. Instead, in a post on the social media platform X, the police department said that a residence in the North Beach neighbourhood was affected. However, a spokesperson for OpenAI confirmed the incident took place at Altman’s residence. “Thankfully, no one was hurt. We deeply appreciate how quickly SFPD responded and the support from the city in helping keep our employees safe,” an OpenAI spokesperson said. Police have not indicated a possible motive behind the attack. The suspect was ultimately located about an hour later near OpenAI’s headquarters, roughly 4.8 kilometres (three miles) away, where he was allegedly threatening to set the building on fire. OpenAI said it is cooperating with law enforcement as the investigation continues. The incident comes amid heightened security concerns around OpenAI’s offices, which have faced threats and protests in recent months. Just last November, a man making violent threats to its San Francisco headquarters briefly prompted an office lockdown. Altman and the company have increasingly become targets for activists who warn about the risks artificial intelligence could pose to society. Critics have also raised alarm over OpenAI’s decision to collaborate with the US Department of Defense, a move that has intensified scrutiny of the company’s role in military technology. Public sentiment towards AI remains mixed. A recent NBC News poll found that the technology is viewed even less favourably than US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), a federal agency responsible for violent immigration raids under President Donald Trump. Despite the criticism, OpenAI’s growth has accelerated rapidly. The company said last month it was valued at $852bn, following a major funding round that raised $122bn. Companies like OpenAI, however, face lingering questions about whether they can generate sufficient revenue to cover their high expenses. One of OpenAI’s signature products, ChatGPT, continues to dominate the consumer AI market, with more than 900 million weekly active users and about 50 million subscribers. The company also said usage of its search features has tripled over the past year. Advertisement AboutAboutShow moreAbout UsCode of EthicsTerms and ConditionsEU/EEA Regulatory NoticePrivacy PolicyCookie PolicyCookie PreferencesAccessibility StatementSitemapWork for usConnectConnectShow moreContact UsUser Accounts HelpAdvertise with usStay ConnectedNewslettersChannel FinderTV SchedulePodcastsSubmit a TipPaid Partner ContentOur ChannelsOur ChannelsShow moreAl Jazeera ArabicAl Jazeera EnglishAl Jazeera Investigative UnitAl Jazeera MubasherAl Jazeera DocumentaryAl Jazeera BalkansAJ+Our NetworkOur NetworkShow moreAl Jazeera Centre for StudiesAl Jazeera Media InstituteLearn ArabicAl Jazeera Centre for Public Liberties & Human RightsAl Jazeera ForumAl Jazeera Hotel PartnersFollow Al Jazeera English: