SAN FRANCISCO, CA — A man who authorities say tried to firebomb the San Francisco home of OpenAI Chief Sam Altman also had a list of other AI leaders he planned to target, according to prosecutors.
The list was one of a three-part series in which Texas resident Daniel Moreno-Gama stated his disdain for AI.
One of the pages, titled "Your Last Warning," detailed his efforts to go after AI leaders.
"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 full sincere in my message," Gama wrote, according to the affidavit.
He also said that "if by some miracle" Altman were to survive the attack, the AI leader should "take this as a sign from the divine to redeem yourself," according to the affidavit.
The San Francisco District Attorney's Office charged Gama, 20, with attempted criminal threats, possession of a flammable or combustible substance and the attempted arson of an occupied building.
Prosecutors say he travelled to California with a knife, a gun, ammo and a list of names and addresses of board members and CEO's of AI companies and investors.
On Friday, he traveled around 3:30 a.m. to Altman's home in North Beach, choosing that time because "his target would be sleeping and most vulnerable," according to the San Francisco District Attorney's Office.
When he got to the home, Gama threw a lit Molotov cocktail-style device at the home, according to police. However, his throw didn't get far and caused a fire to the top of the driveway gate, according to a federal affidavit.
Nobody was injured in the blaze, and it's unclear whether Altman was in his home at the time.
Gama then went to the Open AI headquarters in the 1400 block of 3rd Street around 5 a.m. and tried to break in using a chair, according to the affidavit.
He failed to do so and kept stating that he was going to burn the building down and "kill anyone inside," authorities said.
San Francisco police arrived at the scene and arrested Gama, who had more fire devices, a kerosene jug, a blue lighter and a document in his possession, according to the affidavit.
Moreno-Gama remains jailed as he was deemed a public safety risk, prosecutors said. He is scheduled to make his first court appearance on Tuesday afternoon.
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