Inside the Controversial World of Palantir's Anti-Woke Tech Leadership

It's not often a thousand-word social media post from a US tech firm goes viral. But the post from Palantir - a 22-point manifesto of sorts - currently has over 30 million views on X.

It is the work of the controversial company's co-founder and chief executive, Alex Karp, who has criticized the belief that all cultures are equal and called for universal national service. Karp also referred to the disarmament of Germany and Japan after World War Two as an 'overcorrection', backed AI weapons, and condemned the 'ruthless exposure' of the private lives of public figures.

Karp’s views matter - his company has a growing roster of UK government contracts, including the NHS, the Ministry of Defence (MoD), and other government bodies. Not to mention its multimillion-dollar deals with the US and other powerful governments. As the firm increasingly embeds itself in public bodies, the opinions and influence of its leaders leave some fearful. 'Every alarm bell for democracy must ring,' said Prof. Shannon Vallor, chair of ethics of data and AI at Edinburgh University.

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer stands next to Palantir boss Alex Karp during a Washington DC visit in February 2025.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer (centre) and then-US ambassador Peter Mandelson met Alex Karp (right) in February 2025.

Palantir insiders compare what they do to 'plumbing' - joining scattered stores of information. They argue that their products allow large, often incompatible sets of data to be analyzed and searched easily, using commercial AI systems.

The firm has won a £300m contract to create a data platform for the NHS despite continuing controversies and opposition from the British Medical Association (BMA). Palantir's UK boss Louis Mosley publicly challenged critical coverage in the BMA's British Medical Journal.

Critics cite the company’s work with US immigration enforcement and ties to the US military's use of AI in warfare as reasons for disqualification from public contracts. Others point to the controversial views of its leaders, including Peter Thiel, a known supporter of Donald Trump, and Karp's outspoken anti-woke rhetoric.

Karp's manifesto outlines beliefs that challenge Western inclusivity and the notion of cultural equality. He advocates for a shared duty in defending democracies, proposing universal national service, and suggesting that the militarization of AI is essential for national security.

Amidst rising tensions over Palantir's influence on public services, the conversation about ethical governance and accountability in the face of powerful tech leaders continues to unfold.