Palantir CTO says some AI researchers are taking up smoking because they expect AI to cure cancer

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1. 3h ago

   Palantir CTO Claims AI Researchers Take Up Smoking Expecting a Cure

   Palantir Chief Technology Officer Shyam Sankar claimed that certain artificial intelligence researchers have started smoking cigarettes because they expect the technology to cure cancer, viewing the habit as a signal or flex of their intense faith in future medical advancements. Speaking on CBS Face the Nation on October 11, 2026, Sankar criticized extreme stances surrounding artificial intelligence, describing both doomsday warnings and utopian expectations as social delusions and forms of mass psychosis reflecting theological beliefs rather than rational analysis.

   Why it matters

   Sankar made the comments during an appearance that also touched upon military applications of artificial intelligence and defense contracts. The executive addressed controversies involving targeting technology and disputed reports concerning the Pentagon's use of artificial intelligence systems. His remarks highlight growing friction between practical military deployment and the polarized ideological narratives pushed by various technology advocates.

   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.
   • Shyam Sankar made the remarks during an appearance on CBS Face the Nation on October 11, 2026.
   • Sankar characterized extreme views on artificial intelligence, ranging from doomsday fears to utopian faith, as a social delusion and mass psychosis.

   Still unconfirmed

   • Specific researchers or institutions engaging in smoking as a signal of faith in artificial intelligence were not named or verified with evidence.

   What to watch next

   • Further public statements or clarifications from Shyam Sankar or Palantir regarding the smoking claim.
   • Reactions from major artificial intelligence research institutions and medical communities to the CTO's assertions.
   Sources used for this update (21)

   1. Business Insider — Palantir CTO says some AI researchers are taking up smoking because they expect AI to cure cancer
   2. CBS News — Transcript: Shyam Sankar, chief technology officer of Palantir, on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Oct. 11, 2026
   3. SaasRise — Palantir CTO Defends AI, Hints at Gov SaaS Deals
   4. Benzinga — Palantir CTO Blasts Silicon Valley’s ‘Doomsday Cult’ Over AI Safety — Says Pentagon Has 'Already Replaced
   5. ET Enterprise AI — Palantir CTO calls Silicon Valley’s faith in AI a ‘mass psychosis’
   6. Stocktwits — PLTR Stock At Record High: CTO Slams Report Of Maven Role In Iran School Strike, Retail Bulls Embrace Wall Street Upgrades
   7. Yahoo — Palantir's Shyam Sankar suggests "human error," not AI, is cause of Iran school bombing
   8. Benzinga — Palantir Stock Hits New Record High, Wipes Out Its Nearly 50% Drawdown
   9. 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’
   10. Benzinga — Palantir CTO Says ‘Human Error’ Likely Caused Deadly Iran Strike That Killed 123 Children — Disputes Clai
   11. Inshorts — AI researchers smoking cigarettes to prove how good AI is: Palantir's Indian-origin CTO | 'Doomsdayers have basically been wrong about AI' | Inshorts
   12. TheStreet — Palantir’s answer to a deadly targeting failure was more AI
   confidence 95%