Palantir CTO Says Some AI Researchers Are So Sure It Will Cure Cancer They’ve Started 'Smoking'
Palantir Chief Technology Officer Shyam Sankar claimed that artificial intelligence researchers have started smoking cigarettes because they are so confident that future AI will cure cancer. Speaking on Sunday on CBS, Sankar criticized extreme stances on artificial intelligence, stating that both doomsday warnings and utopian expectations reflect a social delusion and theological beliefs. Believers in this technology expect artificial intelligence to eliminate smoking-related health risks, prompting some in the industry to take up the habit.
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- ✓ Palantir Chief Technology Officer Shyam Sankar stated that some artificial intelligence researchers have started smoking because they expect artificial intelligence to cure cancer.
- ✓ Sankar made his remarks on October 11, 2026, while appearing on CBS Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan.
- ✓ Sankar characterized extreme views on artificial intelligence, including both doomsday warnings and extreme faith, as reflecting social delusion and theological beliefs.
What changed
Palantir Chief Technology Officer Shyam Sankar publicly claimed on television that artificial intelligence researchers have started smoking because they expect artificial intelligence to cure cancer.
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Palantir CTO Claims AI Researchers Smoke Expecting Cure
Palantir Chief Technology Officer Shyam Sankar claimed that artificial intelligence researchers have started smoking cigarettes because they are so confident that future AI will cure cancer. Speaking on Sunday on CBS, Sankar criticized extreme stances on artificial intelligence, stating that both doomsday warnings and utopian expectations reflect a social delusion and theological beliefs. Believers in this technology expect artificial intelligence to eliminate smoking-related health risks, prompting some in the industry to take up the habit.
Why it matters
The remarks highlight growing tensions in Silicon Valley over extreme narratives surrounding artificial intelligence development. Sankar argued that the debate oscillates between panic over apocalyptic outcomes and uncritical faith in artificial intelligence as a panacea. This discussion coincides with broader debates regarding defense contracts, technology ethics, and the real-world capabilities of advanced machine learning systems.
What is confirmed
- Palantir Chief Technology Officer Shyam Sankar stated that some artificial intelligence researchers have started smoking because they expect artificial intelligence to cure cancer.
- Sankar made his remarks on October 11, 2026, while appearing on CBS Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan.
- Sankar characterized extreme views on artificial intelligence, including both doomsday warnings and extreme faith, as reflecting social delusion and theological beliefs.
What to watch next
- Any public response from artificial intelligence research organizations regarding Sankar's claims
- Further commentary from Palantir executives on artificial intelligence industry culture
confidence 100%Sources used for this update (12)
- Business Insider — Palantir CTO says some AI researchers are taking up smoking because they expect AI to cure cancer
- CBS News — Transcript: Shyam Sankar, chief technology officer of Palantir, on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Oct. 11, 2026
- Yahoo Finance — Palantir CTO Says Some AI Researchers Are So Sure It Will Cure Cancer They’ve Started 'Smoking' — Warns Both AI Extremes Reflect ‘Social Delusion’
- TheStreet — Palantir’s answer to a deadly targeting failure was more AI
- The Next Web — Palantir CTO says the Pentagon has already replaced Anthropic’s AI
- NDTV — Researchers Have Started Smoking As They Believe AI Will Cure Cancer, Claims Palantir Top Executive
- TheStreet — Palantir’s Pentagon role reveals a surprising edge
- finance.yahoo.com — Palantir CTO Says Some AI Researchers Are So Sure It Will ...
- www.businessinsider.com — Palantir CTO says some AI researchers are taking up smoking ...
- www.ibtimes.sg — 'AI Researchers Have Started Smoking': Palantir CTO Says They ...
- www.indiatoday.in — Palantir CTO Shyam Sankar says researchers have started ...
- fortune.com — Palantir’s CTO claims AI researchers are smoking to prove ...
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