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Thiel: 'If You're Evil, You're Not Bad
Developing
In Short: During a Sept. 24, 2026, appearance on the podcast 'MD Connects,' billionaire Peter Thiel said, 'If you're evil, you're not bad,' in response to a question about the moral implications of new technologies like artificial intelligence.
Thiel's statement was misinterpreted by some as a commentary on human ethics rather than a metaphorical discussion about the effectiveness of technology. Thiel was actually using the example of a Ferrari to illustrate his point.
Thiel explained that a Ferrari is considered 'evil' because of its poor fuel efficiency, but it is still effective at what it does. He argued that if something is labeled 'evil' but is highly competent, it could be seen as 'good' because it accomplishes its purpose.
The video clip of Thiel's statement was shared online without the context of the question, leading to confusion about his intended meaning.
Thiel, a co-founder of PayPal and the AI company Palantir, was clarifying that the debate over the ethical use of technology should not overshadow its effectiveness.
What this adds
The context of Thiel's statement was crucial to understanding his metaphor about the effectiveness of technology versus its ethical label.
What's still developing
- Thiel made the remark during a Sept. 24, 2026, appearance on the podcast "MD Connects," in which he was answering a question about attaching morals to new technologies such as artificial intelligence.
- Though some users sharing the claim alleged Thiel was talking about the moral or ethical compass of human beings, context shows that wasn't the case.
- A rumor that billionaire Peter Thiel, co-founder of Paypal and the AI company Palantir, once claimed that being evil was actually good circulated online in September 2026.
- A Ferrari is an evil car because it doesn't get many miles per gallon.
- And so, if you're evil, you're at least competent.
- And therefore, maybe you're actually kind of good because you're at least getting something done.