Palantir posts mini-manifesto denouncing inclusivity and ‘regressive’ cultures
Palantir's ideological bent has come under more scrutiny as it's worked with ICE and positioned itself as a defender of "the West."
Surveillance and analytics company Palantir recently posted what it called a “brief” 22-point summary of CEO Alexander Karp’s book “The Technological Republic.”
Written by Karp and Palantir’s head of corporate affairs Nicholas Zamiska, “The Technological Republic” was published last year and described by its authors as “the beginnings of the articulation of the theory” behind Palantir’s work. (One critic said it was “not a book at all, but a piece of corporate sales material.”)
The company’s ideological bent has come under more scrutiny since then, as tech industry figures have debated Palantir’s work with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) , and as the company has positioned itself as an organization working for the defense of “the West.”
In fact, congressional Democrats recently sent a letter to ICE and the Department of Homeland Security demanding more information about how tools built by Palantir and “a range of surveillance companies” are being used in the Trump administration’s aggressive deportation strategy.
Palantir’s post doesn’t reference much of that context directly, simply saying that it’s providing the summary “because we get asked a lot.” It then suggests that “Silicon Valley owes a moral debt to the country that made its rise possible” and declares that “free email is not enough.”
“The decadence of a culture or civilization, and indeed its ruling class, will be forgiven only if that culture is capable of delivering economic growth and security for the public,” the company says.
The post is wide-ranging, at one point criticizing a culture that “almost snickers at [Elon] Musk’s interest in grand narrative” and at another point touching on recent debates about the use of artificial intelligence by the military .
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“The question is not whether A.I. weapons will be built; it is who will build them and for what purpose,” Palantir says. “Our adversaries will not pause to indulge in theatrical debates about the merits of developing technologies with critical military and national security applications. They will proceed.”
Similarly, the company suggests that “the atomic age is ending,” while “a new era of deterrence built on A.I. is set to begin.”
The post also takes a moment to denounce the “postwar neutering of Germany and Japan,” adding that the “defanging of Germany was an overcorrection for which Europe is now paying a heavy price” and that “a similar and highly theatrical commitment to Japanese pacifism” could “threaten to shift the balance of power in Asia.”
The post ends by criticizing “the shallow temptation of a vacant and hollow pluralism.” In Palantir’s argument, a blind devotion to pluralism and inclusivity “glosses over the fact that certain cultures and indeed subcultures . . . have produced wonders. Others have proven middling, and worse, regressive and harmful.”
After Palantir posted this on Saturday, Eliot Higgins, the CEO of investigative website Bellingcat, dryly remarked that it was “extremely normal and fine for a company to put this in a public statement.”
Higgins also argued that there’s more to the post than a simple “defence of the West” — in his view, it’s also an attack on what he said are key pillars of democracy that need rebuilding: verification, deliberation, and accountability.
“It’s also worth being clear about who’s doing the arguing,” Higgins wrote. “Palantir sells operational software to defence, intelligence, immigration & police agencies. These 22 points aren’t philosophy floating in space, they’re the public ideology of a company whose revenue depends on the politics it’s advocating.”
Anthony Ha is TechCrunch’s weekend editor. Previously, he worked as a tech reporter at Adweek, a senior editor at VentureBeat, a local government reporter at the Hollister Free Lance, and vice president of content at a VC firm. He lives in New York City.
You can contact or verify outreach from Anthony by emailing anthony.ha@techcrunch.com .
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Key takeaways
- Palantir's stance highlights the need for tech companies to align with ethical and social values.
- Investment in military and security technology, especially in AI, could directly impact Brazil.
- Palantir's critique of post-war 'neutering' may influence international perceptions of Brazil in technology.
Editorial analysis
Palantir's recent statement criticizing inclusivity and what it deems 'regressive' cultures raises important questions about the ethics and responsibilities of tech companies, especially in a global context where surveillance and privacy are increasingly debated topics. For the Brazilian tech sector, this discussion is relevant as local companies also face pressures to take a stand on social and political issues, particularly as they expand internationally. Palantir's stance may serve as a warning for startups and established firms in Brazil about the importance of aligning their business practices with ethical and social values, thus avoiding the risk of becoming targets of similar criticisms.
Moreover, Palantir's claim that the 'atomic age is ending' and a new era of deterrence based on AI is beginning suggests that military and security technology will be an area of increasing investment and development. This could have direct implications for Brazil, which has an expanding defense sector and may find itself in a dilemma between technological innovation and ethical considerations. How Brazil approaches the integration of AI into its armed forces and public security will be crucial in shaping the international perception of the country.
Finally, Palantir's critique of what it sees as the 'neutering' of countries like Germany and Japan can be viewed as an attempt to justify its own position in an increasingly polarized world. For Brazil, which seeks to position itself as a regional leader in technology and innovation, it is essential to observe how these global narratives influence international relations and trade partnerships. What is emerging is a scenario where ethics in technology is not just a matter of social responsibility, but a strategic necessity for competitiveness in the global market.
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