⌘K
Change language Switch ThemeSign In
Narrow Mode
Palantir CTO Shyam Sankar: The Future of AI Will Be Determined by Its Wielders, Not Inventors
Palantir CTO Shyam Sankar: The Future of AI Will Be Determined by Its Wielders, Not Inventors
 ### a16z@a16z
Palantir CTO Shyam Sankar on how the future of AI will actually be decided:
"These technology revolutions are usually, by the vast majority, are tool revolutions, not concept revolutions."
"It was not Galileo who invented the telescope. He used it to discover planetary motion."
"The future of these technologies, the microscope, the power loom, the telescope, the personal computer, they are determined not by the inventor of the technology, but by the people who wield the technology."
"Today when we listen to the AI doomers, we're listening to the inventors who are incredibly smart, but just like their creations, they have their own jagged intelligence."
"It is us as the wielders of it that are going to determine the future course of this technology."
"It's a choice we're making. It's not something that's being done to us." @ssankar @PalantirTechShow More
00:58
#### a16z
@a16z · 6h ago
"I think our biggest risk as a country is suicide, not homicide."
Palantir CTO Shyam Sankar joins a16z's Katherine Boyle and Erik Torenberg to discuss Shyam's new book, Mobilize, as well as defense, AI, the SaaSpocalypse, and more.
00:00 Introduction
07:53 Rebuilding the industrial base
18:01 Modernizing the Army
24:20 The SaaSpocalypse
29:42 Agency over automation
38:24 Beating China without self-sabotage
40:42 Film as cultural willpower
49:57 The story of Admiral Rickover @ssankar @KTmBoyle @eriktorenberg @PalantirTechShow More
54:15
6
32
210
57.1K
Mar 20, 2026, 9:12 PM View on X
8 Replies
3 Retweets
53 Likes
9,887 Views  a16z @a16z
One Sentence Summary
Palantir CTO Shyam Sankar argues that technology revolutions are tool revolutions decided by those who wield them, not their inventors, using Galileo's telescope as an analogy.
Summary
This tweet quotes Palantir CTO Shyam Sankar sharing his philosophical perspective on AI's future trajectory. Drawing a historical parallel to Galileo's use of the telescope (not invention), Sankar argues that major technology revolutions are typically 'tool revolutions, not concept revolutions.' He emphasizes that the future of technologies like AI, microscopes, and personal computers is determined not by their inventors but by the people who wield them. Notably, he challenges the narrative from 'AI doomers,' characterizing them as inventors who, like their creations, possess 'jagged intelligence.' Sankar concludes by asserting that the future of AI is a choice being made by its users, not something being imposed upon them. This is part of a broader conversation on the a16z podcast discussing his new book 'Mobilize.'
AI Score
82
Influence Score 12
Published At Yesterday
Language
English
Tags
Palantir
Shyam Sankar
AI Philosophy
Technology Adoption
AI Doomers HomeArticlesPodcastsVideosTweets