Tucker Carlson Confronts Sam Altman Over Death of OpenAI Researcher in Awkward Interview

Tucker Carlson pressed OpenAI CEO Sam Altman with theories that a researcher who had criticized the company was murdered, an exchange that left Altman describing the death as "a great tragedy" while saying the available evidence indicated suicide.

The confrontation focused on the November 2024 death of 26-year-old Suchir Balaji, who was found in his San Francisco apartment with a gunshot wound to the head. San Francisco police and the city medical examiner ruled the death a suicide and said there was no indication of foul play; a later report cited no signs of forced entry, noted that Balaji had purchased the gun used in the shooting and said he had recently searched online for information about brain anatomy.

Carlson, the former Fox News anchor now hosting interviews outside traditional broadcast networks, described a different picture and pushed Altman to respond. ‘‘There were signs of a struggle, of course,’’ Carlson said, listing allegations that included disabled surveillance cameras, cut wires, blood in multiple rooms and a lack of behavior consistent with suicidal intent. Carlson repeated claims that Balaji had recently been social with friends and had spoken to a family member shortly before his death.

Altman rejected the insinuation that OpenAI or its leadership had any role in Balaji’s death and repeatedly characterized the conversation as an accusation. "I really do" think it was suicide, Altman said during the interview. He recalled being shaken by the loss of a long-serving colleague and said he had read available material about the case. He also said he offered to speak with Balaji's mother but that she declined.

Balaji had worked at OpenAI for about four years and had recently gone public with criticisms of the company, alleging that its development of ChatGPT involved copyright and privacy violations. Those public complaints, and his sudden death weeks later, fueled speculation and questions from outside observers about whether the case warranted further investigation.

San Francisco authorities have maintained their ruling of suicide. Police statements and the medical examiner's report attributed the cause of death to a self-inflicted gunshot wound and said investigators found no evidence of forced entry or third-party involvement. The report’s reference to Balaji’s online searches for brain anatomy and records showing he had purchased the firearm were cited by officials as part of the basis for the conclusion.

During the interview, Carlson urged that the matter ‘‘is worth looking into’’ and criticized what he described as the city's reluctance to reopen the probe beyond the suicide finding. He framed his line of questioning as not an accusation against Altman personally but as a call for additional scrutiny given Balaji's allegations about OpenAI prior to his death.

Altman reacted sharply when Carlson referenced assertions by Balaji’s mother alleging her son was killed "on your orders," saying the line of questioning sounded like an accusation and expressing discomfort. "I haven’t done too many interviews where I’ve been accused of...," Altman said, then trailed off as the exchange grew tense.

The episode underscores continuing public attention on OpenAI as it expands the deployment of its generative models and grapples with internal criticism. Balaji’s public statements about the company’s practices had drawn scrutiny by observers and added to a broader debate around data collection, privacy and copyright in the development of large language models.

Law enforcement officials have urged reliance on investigative findings. OpenAI declined to comment beyond Altman’s on-camera remarks during the interview. Carlson said he was raising questions he believes merit further inquiry; Altman urged reliance on official investigative conclusions and stressed the personal impact of the researcher’s death on colleagues.

No new evidence was announced during the interview, and investigators have not publicly reopened the case. The medical examiner’s ruling and the police findings remain the most recent official determinations regarding Balaji’s cause of death.