{
  "id": 14369322,
  "title": "Palantir CTO Shyam Sankar has ‘AI theory’ for researchers taking up smoking",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/14/palantir-cto-shyam-sankar-has-ai-theory-for-researchers-taking-up",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-10-14T03:59:21.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Times of India",
    "slug": "times-of-india",
    "url": "https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/technology/tech-news/palantir-cto-shyam-sankar-has-an-ai-theory-for-more-researchers-taking-up-smoking-says-these-folks-in-silicon-valley-have-filled-hole-in-their-hearts-with-god-of-/articleshow/134931723.cms"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Palantir's chief technology officer, Shyam Sankar, has offered an intriguing perspective on why some artificial intelligence researchers have taken up smoking. In a recent US television interview, Sankar suggested that these researchers are lighting up as a symbolic gesture of their unwavering belief in the potential of AI to cure cancer. He made this statement while addressing the issue of fear-driven narratives clouding the AI safety debate, without naming any specific individuals or providing evidence to support his claim. According to Sankar, the act of smoking serves as a message to other researchers, indicating that they are fully committed to the development and application of AI technology.",
  "summary": "Palantir CTO Shyam Sankar claims some AI researchers in Silicon Valley are taking up smoking to show how strongly they believe AI will cure cancer. Speaking in a US TV interview, he said many in the industry have filled a \"god-shaped hole\" with the \"machine God of AGI,\" and blamed effective altruism for fuelling AI doomsday fears.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}