The claim and the reaction

Sankar's remark — framed by critics as the argument that people could keep smoking because AI will someday cure the resulting illnesses — circulated widely after he made the comment in an interview appearance this month, drawing sharp reactions on social media and in press coverage.

The characterization "AI will fix cancer, so I'll smoke" spread as shorthand for the argument, with critics calling it a risky oversimplification of both AI's current medical capabilities and the known harms of tobacco use.

What the evidence supports

The controversy centers on the speculative nature of the claim: AI is being applied to drug discovery, diagnostics and treatment research, but no evidence exists that it can reverse or prevent smoking-related disease. Health authorities, including the World Health Organization, continue to classify tobacco use as a leading preventable cause of death.

The remark and the subsequent furor are documented in coverage and imagery from the interview appearance, including material published by CBS News.

Verdict: True