Why everybody hates Palantir
Beyond America, the company risks becoming a victim of its own hype
Palantir, a software firm founded by the CIA, has experienced a surge in popularity since its establishment. With American firms recognizing the potential of its software to protect their data from AI, the company's revenue has more than doubled in the past year, reaching $1.6bn in the second quarter of 2026. However, despite its growing success, the company is facing backlash from various critics.
In France and Germany, security chiefs announced plans to replace Palantir's software with European alternatives, while in Britain, MPs have urged the prime minister to exercise a break clause in a seven-year contract with the National Health Service (NHS). Palantir is currently embroiled in a legal battle with Sir Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, over a deal with the Metropolitan Police.
The company has also faced criticism for its involvement in tracking and deporting migrants under the Trump administration and targeting the Gaza Strip by the Israel Defence Forces.
The Loudest critics of Palantir claim that its technology has contributed to the deportation of migrants and the targeting of civilians in Gaza. One MP even claimed that the software reduced discharge delays by 15%, but this was disputed by the British statistics watchdog. Additionally, Palantir's lobbying tactics, such as offering a low-cost contract during the COVID-19 pandemic, have also drawn criticism.
Palantir's software is touted as a solution to fragmented data in the British state, particularly in areas such as policing and healthcare. The firm's engineers take large amounts of scattered data and integrate them into a single source of truth, making it more accessible for non-tech-savvy staff. This has proven beneficial in various instances, such as helping the police review child-protection incidents and convicting a Romanian criminal gang.
However, Palantir's claims have been questioned, with some arguing that the company overstates the effectiveness of its software. A £1.1bn contract to build the NHS's federated data platform (FDP) has come under scrutiny, with critics pointing out that the figures provided by Palantir's fans do not accurately represent the software's impact. The NHS watchdog has also reprimanded the company for overstating its achievements.
Written by urgent.news from Hindustan Times - World News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
