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Comment by arxell | Hacker News Reader

This statement that AI researchers are taking up smoking was made by Alexander Karp (CEO of Palantir), who just personally bought 37,000 acres of Swedish forest land, presumably in preparation for some form of AI-related geopolitical fallout. It was absolutely not a peer reviewed study or any sort of survey. It was likely something he heard in passing, a less-than-half-serious joke, or just a subjective questionable observation based on an N of a few. Regardless, this narrative was only picked up and amplified by media because he is the CEO of Palantir. He himself is a cigar smoker. Take that for what you will. I have seen no evidence that it is true -but if it were, I'd imagine there would be other indulgences, vices and financial/credit opportunities much more likely to be observed than smoking.

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And we all know that CEOs famously never lie or make up “facts” to sell their products.

Has a single researcher come out and backed up this story?

> who just personally bought 37,000 acres of Swedish forest land, presumably in preparation for some form of AI-related geopolitical fallout

Ultra rich guy put some land in his investment portfolio. What a shocker!!

You've moved the goal posts. What we do all know is that when CEOs of huge, geopolitically important international military-contracting megacorporations say or do things things that are surprising, it is newsworthy.

So your theory about no-nothings talking about nothing that they heard nowhere because it makes them feel good because they are self-indulgent fools might be worth giving up.

Now you've devolved to complaining about people noticing things. Do you think that your declaring those things not notable might be because they agree with your preconceived notions about "ultra rich guys" and the totally random things they do for no particular reason?

Karp actually didn't make the statement at all, and the fact that you yourself made it up (or perpetuated the lie) is exactly what I'm talking about.

Karp is known for cross-country skiing, so the Swedish forest land is likely related to that and not fallout.

Ironically

>CEO of Palantir bought 37,000 acres of Swedish forest land in preparation for some form of AI-related geopolitical fallout

is the kind of online discussion GP complains about

The original quote was from Shyam Sankar, CTO of Palantir, not Karp.

Thus proving the original point: it's hearsay all the way down

It's literally linked in the article you didn't read.

All online discussions these days are like those chain email forwards of the last generation. <= this is the original point

This statement that AI researchers are taking up smoking was made by Alexander Karp (CEO of Palantir) <= this is is a wrong statement as per the link in the article I very much did read.

The original quote was from Shyam Sankar, CTO of Palantir, not Karp. <= this is someone that points out the statement is wrong, thereby proving the original point.

Clear now?

I heard it was Tim Cook, CEO of OpenAI.

When did he change his name from Tim Apple?

Since there’s a new John Apple

He bought 37,000 acres of forest land because who wouldn't buy 37,000 acres of forest land if they had the means and opportunity to buy 37,000 acres of forest land?

If I could afford 37,000 acres of forest land, I'd tighten my belt a bit and buy a whole 50,000 myself. You can never be too sure!

I like you thinking. If more's good, then even more would be even better.

There is literally a link in the article giving the correct attribution and source.

Did you follow the link? It's another article quoting an anecdote from a CBS interview. It's not an actual statistic from a reputable survey or anything. This is what OP was saying - it's a fuckin telephone game. Chinese whispers. The rumour mill.

I'm not sure Sweden is where I would try to hide out if the world was ending.

Where would you go? (Asking for a friend)

And island big enough to sustain itself preferable not with with winters as you will need energy (panels), food and barrier.

A collapsed society in a place like Northern Europe would be terrible as it relies on a lot of complex technology to keep the modern lifestyle going. None of the Scandinavian countries are self sufficient in food.

Basically, New Zealand, which is why it was a favorite for billionaire bunkers.

Why? Genuinely curious

It's ice cold especially in winter. Winters are super dark and miserable.

I'd find some remote Pacific island personally :) Or New Zealand.

PS: I don't mean to talk Sweden down but it's definitely not for me. I've been there for work and it's just not my kind of culture. Very indoors, streets dead quiet after 19:00 even in summer, brrr. I could not live like that :) And really long darkness in winter just gets me super depressed.

But I know some people love it. Everyone is different <3

I like Sweden but fall and winter sure are dark. Can totally understand why it might be a bad fit for many people.

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