GoKawiilPalantir CTO says some AI researchers smoke as a bet on AI curing cancer
Palantir CTO Shyam Sankar claimed on CBS's Face the Nation that some AI researchers have taken up smoking to signal their belief that AI will eventually cure cancer. He described this as a kind of 'mass psychosis' or social delusion within Silicon Valley's AI community, comparing faith in AGI to a substitute for religious belief.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The claim, if accurate, points to an unusual cultural dynamic in AI circles where belief in future technology outcomes is being used to justify risky present-day behavior, which could reflect deeper anxieties or overconfidence about AI's trajectory. Sankar's framing of this as 'delusion' suggests even insiders view some AI enthusiasm as detached from near-term reality, though his account is anecdotal and unverified. It also ties into broader reporting about smoking's resurgence in some tech subcultures, independent of AI beliefs.
- Palantir CTO Shyam Sankar says some AI researchers smoke to signal faith that AI will cure cancer.
- He describes this behavior as a 'mass psychosis' or social delusion tied to quasi-religious belief in AGI.
- The claim is anecdotal and coincides with broader reports of smoking's resurgence in certain tech circles.
Source: techspot.com — Rob Thubron, 2026-10-13
Published there as: “Some AI researchers are taking up smoking because they believe artificial intelligence will cure cancer”
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