Palantir CEO Denies NYT Report on Data Collection, Calls Allegations "False"

Palantir CEO Alex Karp denied allegations from a New York Times article that the company compiled a master list of personal information on Americans for the Trump Administration. Karp stated that the company provides data and analytics services to clients, but he did not specify any clients or the nature of their requests.

Palantir Technologies Inc. (PLTR) CEO Alex Karp has categorically denied allegations from a New York Times report that the company compiled a master list of personal data on Americans for the Trump Administration. In an interview on CNBC, Karp stated that Palantir never collects data to unlawfully surveil Americans [1]. This comes as the company faces scrutiny over its involvement in the Trump administration's data-sharing initiatives.

Karp emphasized that Palantir is not engaged in any illegal surveillance activities. He also shifted the conversation to Palantir's broader AI vision, warning that while AI offers both positive and negative consequences, the U.S. must win or China will win in the geopolitical stakes of artificial intelligence leadership [1]. The CEO praised Western allies for needing to learn from American corporate agility and domain expertise, positioning Palantir's Foundry platform as a key tool for secure data analytics in government use cases.

The NYT had speculated that Palantir was tapped to support a Trump executive order to merge federal data across agencies, an assertion that Karp and Palantir reject as false [1]. Despite the denials, Palantir shares dipped 0.6% as the news circulated, though the company continues to secure government contracts across defense and intelligence agencies [1].

Palantir's relationship with the Trump administration has been a subject of debate. The company's cofounder, Peter Thiel, is a known mega donor for Trump and has been his right-hand man in Silicon Valley [2]. The Trump administration has reportedly been working with Palantir to gather personal data of American citizens from various federal agencies, raising concerns over privacy and potential misuse of personal data [3].

Critics argue that such data could be exploited for political purposes, while proponents believe it could lead to more efficient and fraud-free services [2]. Despite the controversy, Palantir's strong backlog of federal contracts may insulate its revenue even as public scrutiny intensifies [1].

References:
[1] https://finance.yahoo.com/news/palantir-ceo-flatly-denies-nyt-175849959.html
[2] https://www.yahoo.com/news/president-trump-palantir-possible-partnership-175148916.html
[3] https://finance.yahoo.com/news/trump-administration-silently-employs-palantir-213150870.html