Anthropic putting 5% of shares toward public benefit fund that could address AI impact on workers
Anthropic says its new public benefit fund could help address the technology's impact on workers as it prepares for a potential blockbuster IPO.
Saudi official paid for family of ex-OpenAI engineer accused of planting bug to flee US: feds
A Saudi military official paid for the wife and infant son of a former OpenAI engineer accused of secretly planting a recording device inside the artificial intelligence company's headquarters to flee the United States just 36 hours after his arrest, according to federal prosecutors.
Abdulrahman Alfozan, a Saudi national, was arrested Oct. 9, just three days before he was scheduled to fly from San Francisco to Riyadh with his family on a one-way ticket, according to a federal court memorandum filed Sunday.
Prosecutors allege that a member of the Saudi military booked and paid for a one-way, business-class flight to Doha, Qatar, for Alfozan's wife and three-month-old son on Oct. 10. The pair subsequently returned to Saudi Arabia.
The revelations came in a filing ahead of a Monday detention hearing in San Francisco, where prosecutors are seeking to keep Alfozan behind bars pending trial, arguing that he poses a serious flight risk.
Alfozan is accused of concealing a sophisticated audio recording device in an executive conference room at OpenAI, where senior company officials regularly discussed confidential technology, business strategies and government engagements.
Prosecutors allege that Alfozan used an AI chatbot to research how to build and encrypt recording devices and an OpenAI productivity tool to identify meeting rooms used by company executives.
The filing also revealed that Alfozan had been communicating with a member of the Saudi royal family who repeatedly encouraged him to join an AI initiative in Saudi Arabia.
"Saudi needs you more then [sic] the US!" the individual wrote in a May 2026 message, according to prosecutors.
Alfozan, who joined OpenAI in July 2025, was fired following his arrest. Prosecutors said he earned an annual base salary of $385,000 after a raise and received a $2.2 million equity grant when he joined the company.
Federal authorities argue that his financial resources, family ties to Saudi Arabia and apparent support from a foreign government make him a significant flight risk.
The investigation remains ongoing, and prosecutors said additional charges could follow. Alfozan currently faces a federal charge related to the unlawful interception of oral communications, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison if convicted.
Interpol warns AI is making deepfake scams harder to detect as criminals target public
Interpol is warning that increasingly sophisticated artificial intelligence tools are allowing scammers to convincingly impersonate friends, family members and coworkers, making it harder for people to distinguish fraudulent calls and messages from legitimate communications.
The international police organization launched a public awareness campaign Monday highlighting how criminals are using AI-generated videos, images and voices, known as "deepfakes," to trick victims into handing over money or sensitive personal information.
According to Interpol, scammers can now replicate a person's face or voice using only a small amount of content found online, allowing them to carry out convincing impersonation schemes without significant technical expertise.
"AI is erasing the tell-tale signs of a scam. Spelling mistakes, branding inconsistencies, clumsy formatting: these red flags are fast becoming a thing of the past," said Toshinobu Yasuhira, director of the Interpol Innovation Centre.
The organization warned that deepfake technology is increasingly being used to target ordinary citizens through investment fraud, romance scams, impersonation schemes and sextortion.
Examples include fake video calls from coworkers requesting bank transfers or fraudulent phone calls appearing to come from family members facing emergencies.
"Anyone can fall victim to these scams, regardless of age, region, or sector," Yasuhira warned.
As part of the campaign, Interpol released three AI-generated videos demonstrating how the technology can be exploited by criminals.
The organization urged people to independently verify suspicious requests, establish a secret "safe word" with trusted family members and avoid sending money in response to urgent or unexpected communications.
Anthropic pledges 5% of shares to public benefit fund as AI raises concerns for workers
Artificial intelligence company Anthropic announced Sunday that it plans to commit 5% of its shares to a new public benefit fund that could help address AI's impact on workers as the company prepares for a potential blockbuster initial public offering.
The commitment, which is subject to stockholder approval, will go toward the newly established Anthropic Public Benefit Fund. The company said the fund could support major donations to nonprofits or direct financial distributions to certain populations.
Anthropic identified potential disruptions to the labor market as one area of focus, noting that it has already committed $200 million to studying and addressing AI's impact on workers.
"Given the pace of AI progress, bolder approaches may be needed," the company said in a blog post.
The fund's stake could also grow as Anthropic's valuation increases, with an additional 2% of company shares potentially added at the board's discretion for every 50% increase in value above a set baseline.
Anthropic said the fund will operate as a wholly owned limited liability company, with its equity prohibited from being used for lobbying or political contributions in the U.S. or abroad.
CEO Dario Amodei and Anthropic's five other cofounders have pledged to donate 80% of their equity holdings. Combined with the latest commitment and an employee equity donation program, the company said roughly 20% of its shares will be dedicated to the public good.
The announcement comes as Anthropic plans a massive IPO that could take place as soon as November.
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