Shyam Sankar, CTO of Palantir Technologies Inc. (NYSE:PLTR), expressed his concern over the politicization of AI safety.
In a post on X on Monday, Sankar criticized the “Effective Altruists,” accusing them of attempting a coup by deciding the pace of technological progress for everyone else.
“Effective Altruists believe a tiny group of technocrats should decide how much technological progress the rest of us are allowed to have…. and how many shrimp your life is worth,” wrote Sankar.
Pushback Grows Over AI Slowdown
Sankar’s comments add to the ongoing debate about the pace of AI development, with executives from OpenAI and Anthropic calling for a slowdown.
Former White House AI and Crypto Czar David Sacks said OpenAI and Anthropic should slow their AI development voluntarily if they believe their next models pose serious risks, rather than relying on government regulation. He argued that CEOs Sam Altman and Dario Amodei already lead the AI frontier and effectively determine the pace of progress.
At the same time, Michael Burry criticized OpenAI and Anthropic executives for urging a slowdown in AI development, calling the stance self-serving and beneficial to incumbents and upcoming IPOs. He argued that current LLMs are not true AI or AGI and suggested the slowdown narrative may mask weaker growth and delayed IPO plans.
"IPOs need hype & puffery; "we are so awesome it could become dangerous" is hype & puffery," he said.
Notably, Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:NVDA), Palantir and Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corp. (NYSE:BAH) are reportedly tightening restrictions on their use of advanced AI models from Anthropic and OpenAI over concerns that providers could retain or learn from sensitive corporate data. The companies are seeking stronger data protections or dropping certain models altogether.
Trump Backs AI, Others Urge Caution
President Donald Trump called into Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang’s All-In Summit session and delivered a strong pro-AI message, dismissing fears that AI and robots could pose a threat to society. He called such concerns "a hoax," while arguing that data centers create wealth for people and states. Trump also warned that opposing AI development could benefit China, saying AI is "bigger than the internet."
On the other hand, AI leaders such as former President Barack Obama and billionaire Elon Musk have welcomed the idea of slowing down AI development, considering it a necessary step. They believe that the government and the public should have a say in how this technology evolves.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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