In the beginning of 2023, OpenAI’s internal messaging system was hacked and the hacker stole the details of the design of the firm’s AI technology. In fact, the hacker could get access to the discussions of the employees while they talked about the latest technologies being deployed. However, the hacker could not get into the systems where the company houses and builds its AI.

The disclosure was made to the employees during a meeting at the San Fransico office of the company in April 2023. Even the Board was informed. The news was not shared publicly as no information about customers or partners had been stolen. It was not treated as a national security threat since the hacker was a private individual and had no connections to any foreign government.

There is a lurking fear of foreign adversaries such as China who could steal AI technology and who could ultimately harm US national security. However, it is a moot point whether OpenAI’s security is strong enough to protect it against the theft of key secrets if foreign actors were to infiltrate the company.

OpenAI aims to build ultimately AGI equipping the machine to match or even surpass the human brain. This commitment is to build safe AGI. The Chinese threat is not unreasonable. Micrsoft’s systems were previously hacked by the Chinese hackers to launch a wide-ranging attack on federal government’s networks.

Both under the federal and Californian law, OpenAI cannot prevent people from working at the company on the ground of a particular nationality. Such blanket banning of foreign talent could significantly hamper the progress of AI in the US. The technology requires the best and brightest minds to work on it.

Apart from OpenAI, there are other organizations working in AI tech, e.g. Meta which shares its design with the rest of the world as open-source software. According to them, the dangers are slim, and code sharing enables the researchers across the industry to identify and fix the problems.