Palantir, the US data analytics company valued at $375bn, has expanded rapidly since the pandemic, supplying AI-driven software to clients ranging from the NHS to the US military. Founded in 2003 by Peter Thiel, the firm now holds contracts worth £600m with UK bodies including the NHS, Ministry of Defence, and several police forces. However, its growing influence has sparked widespread criticism over human rights concerns and its close ties to controversial agencies.
Critics point to Palantir’s work with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Israeli military, as well as a controversial manifesto by CEO Alex Karp implying cultural hierarchies. Amnesty International raised alarms about the company’s human rights record before its 2020 stock market listing, which saw its value surge by over 1,500%.
In the UK, London Mayor Sadiq Khan recently blocked a £50m deal between Palantir and the Metropolitan Police, citing concerns that public money should not go to companies that do not share London’s values. The company’s name, taken from JRR Tolkien’s ‘palantír’—a seeing stone used for domination—has drawn parallels to its critics’ fears about unchecked surveillance and power.
Palantir’s software is used for real-time, AI-driven decisions in government and commercial sectors, from analysing NHS patient records to targeting military operations. As its reach deepens, opposition to its role in the British state continues to grow, with many questioning whether the company has become too powerful.
