Sam Altman Attack Suspect Warned AI Could ‘Lead to Human Extinction’

A firebombing at OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s home on Friday morning is drawing attention to something beyond the attack itself.

The suspect, Daniel Alejandro Moreno-Gama, repeatedly warned that artificial intelligence could “lead to human extinction.” Months before the attack, writings attributed to Moreno-Gama outlined escalating fears about AI, including claims that humanity could not coexist with advanced systems, according to reporting first surfaced by the San Francisco Chronicle.

A ‘race to the grave’

The suspect’s concerns about AI were not vague or passing. 

In a series of posts on a personal Substack, Moreno-Gama described AI as fundamentally misaligned with human interests, saying that advanced systems were already capable of deception and manipulation. “These machines have already shown themselves to be unaligned with the interest of the people creating them,” he wrote, framing AI as a growing threat to humanity’s future.

His tone hardened over time.

In later posts and messages on Discord, including in a server linked to the PauseAI community where he used the alias “Butlerian Jihadist,” Moreno-Gama described AI as a competing force humans could not safely coexist with. He warned of “the end of human intellectual dominance on the planet” and called the trajectory “a race to the grave.”

His language grew more urgent in the months leading up to the incident, at one point writing, “We are close to midnight, it’s time to actually act.”

The online spaces where he was active have since distanced themselves from the attack. A representative from the PauseAI community said the suspect had no formal role and that the group “unequivocally condemn[s] this attack and all forms of violence.”

Altman: The fear is justified, but violence is not

Altman addressed the incident in a blog post, acknowledging the broader anxiety surrounding AI while urging a step back from escalation. “The fear and anxiety about AI is justified,” he wrote, describing the current moment as one of the most significant technological shifts in history.

At the same time, he pushed for restraint in how that fear is expressed. “While we have that debate, we should de-escalate the rhetoric and tactics and try to have fewer explosions in fewer homes, figuratively and literally,” Altman said, connecting the conversation around AI risks to the real-world consequences now unfolding.

A second incident raises the stakes

San Francisco police reported a second incident at Altman’s Russian Hill property early Sunday, when a car stopped outside the home, and a person inside appeared to fire a round before fleeing the scene. Officers later arrested two suspects, Amanda Tom and Muhamad Tarik Hussein, on suspicion of negligent discharge.

According to the police report, the vehicle was identified through surveillance footage, leading officers to recover the car and detain both individuals without incident. Authorities said no injuries were reported in either episode.

The back-to-back incidents follow rising tensions around the risks and pace of AI development.

OpenAI is facing legal scrutiny over claims that ChatGPT responses may have reinforced harmful delusions.