Palantir CEO warns companies controlling data could shape what people think

Alexander Karp, CEO of US-based data analytics and software company Palantir, has said that companies controlling data could also control or significantly influence what people think.

Karp made the remarks during an interview on a programme hosted by American journalist Walter Isaacson, CE Report quotes Anadolu Agency.

The Palantir CEO highlighted the distinction between data collection by commercial companies and government agencies, noting that Americans are concerned about state surveillance but tend to underestimate the influence of technology companies.

He said people were not sufficiently aware of the extent to which the technology products they use shape their thinking. According to Karp, underestimating this influence prevents people from fully recognising the importance of concerns surrounding personal data privacy.

"If there are companies that control all the data, they will control what you think or significantly influence your thoughts," Karp said.

He noted that artificial intelligence could be used for both beneficial and harmful purposes, identifying surveillance as one of its most problematic applications.

Karp also pointed out that AI-powered surveillance technologies could be used by both commercial businesses and governments, adding that he strongly supported introducing restrictions on certain applications of these technologies.

Karp says antisemitism contributed to support for Nazism

Karp, a New York-born Jewish businessman known for his statements supporting Israel, said he had spent considerable time with people with Nazi backgrounds while living in Germany because he wanted to understand them. He explained that he had travelled to rural areas to meet them.

He said that people he encountered in cities claimed to hate Hitler, while those in rural areas were more open about their past attitudes.

Karp said he believed antisemitism had played a role in support for the Nazi movement. However, he also argued that Hitler's personal charisma and exploitation of patriotic sentiment had been important factors in the movement's rise.

He described capitalism as "better" than alternative ideologies, while stressing that this did not mean capitalism could solve every problem.

Karp warns AI could widen economic inequality

Karp highlighted existing class inequalities that needed to be addressed, warning that artificial intelligence could further widen the gap. At the same time, he argued that AI would create more employment opportunities, particularly for the working class.

He also criticised the government's handling of certain issues, saying that its poor management of the COVID-19 pandemic had increased public distrust.

According to Karp, the sense of a shared national purpose in society was now at its lowest level he had ever witnessed.

Palantir CEO denies violating privacy rights

Karp maintained that Palantir did not violate privacy rights, emphasising the distinction between surveillance conducted under legal authority and monitoring carried out without such authority.

He criticised Silicon Valley for avoiding cooperation with national defence institutions and accused large language model (LLM) companies of training their models using data without obtaining permission.

"However, I believe it is vital that citizens have the right to bear arms. This issue is often reframed as self-defence, and I support self-defence," Karp said.

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