Palantir’s rise reflects the direction liberal democracies are taking: toward automated judgment and algorithmic inference—and toward control, streamlined, scalable, surgical.

Palantir Technologies has emerged as one of the most influential and controversial tech companies in 2025, with its AI-powered data analytics platforms deeply embedded in military, intelligence, and civilian operations worldwide.

The company’s CEO Alex Karp openly embraces its role in lethal operations, stating in February 2025 that Palantir exists “to scare enemies and on occasion kill them”[1]. Under his leadership, Palantir has secured major contracts including:

  • A $795 million Pentagon deal[2]
  • A $30 million Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) contract for deportation tracking[2:1]
  • Partnerships with the Israeli military for targeting operations in Gaza[2:2]
  • Integration into the UK’s National Health Service[3]

Critics warn that Palantir’s technology enables mass surveillance and human rights violations. The company’s software “swallows everything: hospital records, welfare files, license plate scans, school roll calls, immigration logs and even tweets” to create comprehensive profiles of individuals[4].

Recent developments highlight growing concerns:

  • Protests erupted in June 2025 over Palantir’s work with ICE and Israeli military operations[5]
  • The company’s stock surged 500% over the past year despite ethical concerns[6]
  • Former employees warned the company is “normalizing authoritarianism under the guise of a ‘revolution’”[7]

Palantir’s influence stems from its unique position as both a commercial enterprise and quasi-governmental entity, with deep ties to intelligence agencies since its founding with CIA funding[8]. The company doesn’t just sell to governments - it increasingly replaces government functions, operating as “an informant, an adjudicator, a silent partner in the construction of a predictive regime”[9].

  1. Asia Times - The most dangerous man in America isn’t Trump—it’s Alex Karp ↩︎

  2. CNBC - Police detain six outside Palantir office at protest over deportations, military work ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

  3. The Daily Beast - The Most Terrifying Company in America Is Probably One You’ve Never Heard Of ↩︎

  4. Front Page News - PALANTIR: World’s Most Dangerous Organisation ↩︎

  5. Economic Times - Palantir Under Siege: Protesters rage over surveillance, ICE links in NYC office blockade ↩︎

  6. Forbes - Palantir’s Valuation Is Becoming Harder To Defend ↩︎

  7. The Independent - Stephen Miller owns stock in ICE contractor Palantir ↩︎

  8. Zeteo - Meet the Tech Billionaire Just as Dangerous as Elon Musk ↩︎

  9. Attack the System - Palantir: the world’s most evil company ↩︎