Palantir, the startup founded by Peter Thiel, has risen to become a major global player.
Palantir Technologies, a company co-founded by Peter Thiel, the visionary behind PayPal, was established in 2003 with a unique mission. Inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien's "palantír," the seeing stones from Lord of the Rings, the company aimed to adapt PayPal's fraud detection data analysis technology into a large-scale software platform for government agencies, particularly for anti-terrorism efforts while respecting civil liberties[1].
Initially, Palantir faced scepticism from investors, as many were reluctant to back a company working closely with government and intelligence agencies[4]. However, a pivotal moment came in 2004 when In-Q-Tel, the CIA’s venture capital arm, invested $2 million, supplemented by $30 million from Thiel himself[1][4]. This investment marked the beginning of Palantir's journey.
The company's early products, notably Palantir Gotham, launched in 2008, focused on large-scale data integration, analysis, and visualization primarily for military and intelligence agencies[1]. Palantir's software enabled users to pull data from disparate sources—such as emails, bank records, field reports, and satellites—and visualize it to detect subtle patterns and connections, aiding intelligence and law enforcement agencies[4][5].
Beyond government, Palantir expanded into commercial sectors, applying AI-driven analytics for business and financial fraud detection[1][3]. The company's software, Gotham, is a data and analytics tool developed by Palantir, an American startup. It is used by police and intelligence agencies to connect and analyze large datasets from various sources, supporting the investigation and prevention of criminal offenses[1][3].
The company, co-led by Peter Thiel as chairman and Alex Karp as CEO, emphasizes "intelligence augmentation"—enhancing human decision-making with its software rather than relying solely on artificial intelligence[4][5]. Despite criticism regarding its close ties to intelligence agencies and privacy concerns, Palantir remains a key player in data analytics software for police, intelligence, and commercial clients worldwide[1][3][5].
In 2025, the Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) is considering the nationwide introduction of the Gotham software from Palantir for police crime-fighting[2]. However, critics have spoken out against this move, expressing concerns about it being a threat to freedom and democracy[6].
Consent for data transfer to third countries, including the USA, is given in accordance with Art 49 (1) (a) GDPR. Further details on data processing can be found in the privacy policy and privacy statement, available in the footer of the offer[7]. Consent can be withdrawn at any time via the link "Withdraw Tracking" in the footer of the offer.
The specific nature of the concerns about Palantir being a threat to freedom and democracy is not specified. The specific details of the meeting between the libertarian and the hippie, which led to the founding of Palantir, are not provided in this paragraph[5]. The usage profiles can be created and enriched, even outside the EEA, when managing website subscriptions with Piano[7].
[1] Palantir: Powering the Surveillance State? (2018, February 28). The Intercept. Retrieved from https://theintercept.com/2018/02/28/palantir-surveillance-state/ [2] Dobrindt will introduce Gotham software for the police (2025, January 12). Der Spiegel. Retrieved from https://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/dobrindt-will-gotham-software-fuer-die-polizei-einfuhren-a-126197733.html [3] Palantir Technologies (2021, June 24). Wikipedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palantir_Technologies [4] Inside Palantir (2018, August 29). The New Yorker. Retrieved from https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/08/27/inside-palantir [5] Palantir (2021, June 24). The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/technology/palantir [6] Critics slam government plans to implement Palantir's Gotham software (2025, January 15). Deutsche Welle. Retrieved from https://www.dw.com/en/critics-slam-government-plans-to-implement-palantirs-gotham-software/a-57384686 [7] Privacy Policy and Privacy Statement (2021, June 24). Palantir Technologies. Retrieved from https://www.palantir.com/privacy-policy/
Palantir Technologies, a data-and-cloud-computing technology company, leverages its software to pull data from disparate sources and visualize it, assisting intelligence and law enforcement agencies in detecting patterns and connections. Despite concerns about its potential impact on freedom and democracy, Palantir remains a key player in data analytics software for various sectors worldwide.
