Palantir, the uninhibited AI company that professes the domination of the United States

Palant, American specialist in data analysis and artificial intelligence (AI), used both by banks, hospitals, the government of the United States and the Israeli army, displays its virile and uninhibited corporate culture, more and more typical in Silicon Valley.

“We want. Meanwhile, need this country to remain the strongest in the world,” said Alex Karp, the boss of Palantir, at a conference for company customers in Palo Alto (California), where AFP was the only media present.

In armed conflicts, the palantant tools allow in particular to assess palantir, uninhibited ai company professes potential targets in real time, crossing information, biometric data to telephone calls.

“I am extremely proud of what we do on the battlefield, to protect our soldiers, secure data (…) Kill our enemies. Consequently, scare them, because they know that they will be killed,” continued the billionaire with graying curls and tight white t-shirt.

Very secret at its beginnings, the company now displays its colors in Trump America.

Washington makes it well. Nevertheless, In the first quarter, the company received $ 373 million in government contracts, a leap of 45 % over a year.

In the spring. In addition, the Federal Immigration Police (ICE) awarded a new $ 30 million contract to Palantir for the development of a new expulsion monitoring platform, visa overruns and voluntary departures for illegal immigrants.

” Drug “

The firm also won a $ 1.3 billion contract, paid twice by the US military for an palantir, uninhibited ai company professes IA target identification platform.

Its action has doubled since the beginning of the year, spreading Palantant among the 20 most valued American companies.

But the financial results “will never be the ultimate measure of the value of our activity. In addition, ” said Alex Karp in his letter to the shareholders in early May, where he quotes Pêle-Malle Saint-Augustin, the Bible, Michel Houellebecq and Richard Nixon.

“We pursue more ambitious and more singular goals. »»

Created in 2003 by Peter Thiel. figure of the libertarian right of Silicon Valley, Alex Karp and others, with the support of the CIA, Palantir was baptized according to a magical vision stone in the universe of Tolkien.

“Young people would say that we are like pure, very expensive, very sought -after drug (…) which makes you stronger and better” praised Alex Karp on stage.

But its use at the top of the worried state.

palantir, uninhibited ai company professes

Several members of the “DOGE” commission to reduce expenses, initially overseen by Elon Musk, come from this company.

The New York Times. Wired and CNN reported confidential government projects to create, thanks to Palantir, a central base combining data from different federal agencies.

Resistances

“If the government obtains total visibility in the lives of all people in the United States. who know how it will use this information beyond the objectives of fight against fraud and waste”, is alarmed by Elizabeth Laird, of the NGO Center for Democracy & Technology.

Palantier says it does not “build surveillance technology” or “central database on Americans”.

Sasha Spivak. director of strategic development, said on stage that her colleagues were ten years ago “daring and somewhat annoying” internally, but “secrets and timid” in public.

“Today we are not ashamed, we are not afraid. We are deeply proud of our work and our customers, ”she palantir, uninhibited ai company professes said.

Under the influence of Peter Thiel. Elon Musk, and more recently of Mark Zuckerberg, patron of Meta, the Silicon Valley has taken a testosterone turn in recent months, glorifying the “Tech Bros” (“Tech Brothers”) and rejecting the objectives of diversity.

Employees are trying to resist.

In early May. 13 ex-employees of Palantir published a letter accusing “tech giants” of participating in “normalizing authoritarianism under the cover of a so-called + revolution + led by oligarchs”.

They believe that by supporting the Trump. Doge government, Palantir has betrayed its values of ethics, transparency and defense of democracy.

“Annate”

“When I joined the company, it was very exciting. It is rare to end up with so many intelligent. motivated people, ”says a signatory of the letter, who wishes to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals.

But after several months to ask for explanations of the management on the collaboration palantir, uninhibited ai company professes of Palantant with the Israeli army. Ice, he resigns, like other colleagues.

“We were told +we are a very attentive business of our employees +. but on Israel, the answer was rather +it is our job, if you don’t like it, go see elsewhere +,” he recalls.

Jeremy David, co-director of health activity within the company, sweeps the controversies.

“My daily life is rather nurses. doctors who hate us at the beginning and are very grateful at the end,” he assures AFP at the conference.

On stage. Joe Bonanno, senior official at Citibank, welcomes that a banking process required “nine days and sometimes 50 people”, only takes “only a few minutes to a single individual”.

“As Alex (Karp) said, I came to dominate, crush and destroy. Sorry if you are JPMorgan, Merrill Lynch or Morgan Stanley, ”he concludes with a big smile, referring to competing banks.

Some potential customers discreetly palantir, uninhibited ai company professes admit that they do not much appreciate warrior speeches. but they do not see an alternative to Palantant.

Group’s commercial turnover jumped 71 % in the first quarter, $ 255 million.