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OpenAI locked down its San Francisco offices on Friday after an internal alert. The alert identified a credible threat linked to a former Stop AI organizer. The company instructed staff to remain inside its Mission Bay headquarters as security teams coordinated with local police.
San Francisco police received a 911 call around 11 a.m. about a man allegedly making threats near 550 Terry Francois Boulevard, close to OpenAI’s main office. Crime tracking data from the Citizen app indicated that police radio traffic named the suspect. Officers also believed he may have purchased weapons and considered targeting multiple OpenAI locations.
OpenAI’s internal communications team sent an urgent Slack message that warned employees about the individual. The note also described previous visits to the office. The message said the person had expressed interest in harming OpenAI employees and urged staff to report any sightings immediately. Security personnel also circulated three photos of the suspect across internal channels.
The global security team then updated employees and said that it had not identified any active threat inside the building. Even so, the team kept precautionary measures in place while the assessment continued. Staff received instructions to stay indoors when possible and remove company badges when outside. They also had to avoid clothing that displayed the OpenAI logo.
According to earlier public statements, the individual previously took part in AI safety activism with Stop AI and related groups. Hours before the lockdown, he wrote on social media that he no longer held any formal role with Stop AI.
San Francisco police said they received the threat report and dispatched officers to the area around OpenAI’s offices. However, officials did not release further details about the investigation or confirm any arrests before publication. OpenAI also did not provide a public statement.
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The lockdown occurred after a year of frequent protests at OpenAI’s San Francisco sites. In February, police arrested several Stop AI supporters outside the Mission Bay office. They had chained themselves to the doors and blocked building access. Earlier this month, a Stop AI-linked public defender served CEO Sam Altman with a subpoena. The exchange occurred during a live interview in the city.
Groups such as Stop AI, Pause AI, and No AGI raise concerns about rapid AI development. They warn that new systems could threaten jobs and public safety. They held regular demonstrations outside AI labs. Companies continue to monitor evolving AI protest activity. The groups call for government intervention to halt or slow systems that aim for artificial general intelligence.
