New York City hospitals drop Palantir as controversial AI firm expands in UK
New York City hospitals’ decision to drop Palantir from handling medical data has reignited concerns over the company’s role in sensitive government and healthcare systems. Commenters argue over whether Palantir is essentially a high-priced IT consultancy or a dangerous surveillance actor, with worries centered on privacy, political ties, and potential misuse of health data. The move is seen by some as a welcome limit on a single private firm’s influence in public infrastructure, even as Palantir rebrands itself as an AI company and expands in the UK.
Palantir’s Role and Business Model
- Many see Palantir as a glorified IT consulting shop: builds custom data systems (e.g., patient records) with young engineers, charges high fees.
- Compared to big consultancies (Deloitte/EY/KPMG/PwC) but viewed as slightly more capable technically.
- Others describe its main product as government-focused business intelligence/analytics, akin to PowerBI for the public sector.
Why Organizations Use Palantir
- Common explanation: customers lack in‑house technical talent to build complex data systems.
- Some argue Palantir’s continued government and military contracts indicate it reliably delivers on contracts.
- Others attribute those contracts more to lobbying and political influence than to product superiority.
Healthcare and Public Sector Concerns
- Several commenters strongly support NYC hospitals dropping Palantir, citing privacy risks of a single private vendor deeply embedded in public health data.
- Counterpoint: private companies already provide critical medical equipment and services; concern should focus on degree of influence, not mere presence.
- Related note: NYC schools adopting AI guidelines (no training on student PII, no AI-determined grades) is seen as a small but positive step.
Ethics, Politics, and “Evil Company” Image
- Some label Palantir “the most evil company,” equating it to surveillance or “spyware,” though others push back that “spyware” has a specific meaning not met here.
- The company’s name and branding are seen by some as intentionally ominous.
- Leadership (including ties to prominent political figures) is described by critics as extreme, anti-democratic, and closely associated with controversial US government activities.
AI and Surveillance Narratives
- Palantir now branding itself as an “AI firm” is viewed as part of a broader trend where “everyone is an AI firm.”
- Some assert “all AI companies are spyware companies,” expressing generalized distrust of AI and data collection.
- A reported future role in controlling a hypothetical orbital weapon system raises alarm for some, while others dismiss it as likely incompetence and grift rather than a real strategic threat.
Data Privacy and Trust
- Strong fears that Palantir could create data backdoors and that businesses broadly violate data privacy.
- Distrust in the judicial and political system (e.g., pardons, impunity) amplifies concern about placing sensitive health data in such hands.
- Several UK-focused comments explicitly demand that Palantir be kept away from their medical data.