Palantir CTO Says Some AI Researchers Took Up Smoking
Palantir CTO Shyam Sankar told CBS's Face the Nation that some AI researchers have taken up smoking to show how strongly they believe in the technology.
Palantir CTO Shyam Sankar said on CBS's Face the Nation on October 11 that some AI researchers have taken up smoking as a way to show others how strongly they believe in AI, according to etnews.com. He offered no statistics or survey data to support the claim.
Sankar also said some Silicon Valley workers treat AI as a belief system, describing it as filling a "god-shaped hole" with an "AGI machine god." He characterized the coexistence of extreme AI doom and extreme AI utopianism as "collective insanity" and "social delusion."
Long-Running Debate Over AI Risks
The AI industry has debated the pace and risks of the technology in recent years, with some researchers warning of serious threats to humanity while others argue for rapid development, citing benefits in healthcare and drug discovery.
In medical research, attempts continue to use AI to analyze large datasets, find drug candidates and develop personalized treatments.
Quick answers
What did the Palantir CTO say about AI researchers and smoking?
Shyam Sankar said some AI researchers have taken up smoking to show others how strongly they believe in AI. He did not provide statistics or survey data to support the claim.
Where did Shyam Sankar make the remarks?
He made the remarks on CBS's Face the Nation on October 11.
How did Sankar describe Silicon Valley's attitude toward AI?
He said some workers treat AI as a belief system, filling a "god-shaped hole" with an "AGI machine god," and called the coexistence of extreme doom and extreme utopianism "collective insanity" and "social delusion."