Palantir's Vision for AI Age Echoes Colonialist Era Ideals

Palantir's Manifesto: A Blueprint for Western Power

In a recent 22-point manifesto, Alexander Karp, the head of Palantir Technologies, outlines a vision for how the United States and the West should organize and project power in the years ahead. This document, distilled from Karp's thinking, reads like a corporate statement, but it has far-reaching implications for the future of global politics and the role of technology in shaping power.

A Valley Transformed

Silicon Valley, once a bastion of counterculture and innovation, has undergone a transformation. Gone are the days of disrupting traditional power structures; instead, the industry has become more muscular, more ideological, and more comfortable with the authority of the state. This shift is reflected in Palantir's manifesto, which calls for a revival of national service, a stronger military posture, and a closer relationship between technology firms and the defense establishment.

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The Manifesto's Core Beliefs

Palantir's manifesto argues that Western societies have grown complacent, distracted by consumer technology and moral abstraction. It advocates for a return to traditional values, including national service and a stronger military presence. The company has a significant stake in the defense industry, with 55% of its total business coming from the US and UK defense departments. Palantir has built platforms for intelligence agencies, militaries, and police forces across the Western world, and its systems have been used to track insurgents, map networks, and guide targeting decisions.

A Growing Concern

The manifesto's call for a reordering of society around hard power has raised concerns among British MPs, who have described it as sounding like the script of a dystopian film. They question whether a company that speaks in such terms should be trusted with sensitive public data. These concerns are not fringe; they go to the heart of how democratic states manage the intersection of technology and power.

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Don't Be Naive: Tech Companies Are Not Neutral Service Providers

For years, governments have treated technology firms as neutral vendors, providing tools without shaping policy. However, Palantir's manifesto makes it clear that this assumption is no longer tenable. When a company publishes a manifesto calling for a reordering of society around hard power, it is no longer just supplying software; it is making a political argument.

A Deeper Cultural Argument

Palantir's critique of Silicon Valley is not just about the industry's priorities; it is about the values that underpin its approach to technology. The company speaks of the "tyranny of apps," a frustration with an industry that prioritizes convenience over consequence. However, Palantir's solution is narrow and forceful, placing the burden squarely on alignment with the state and its strategic goals. This approach risks becoming authoritarian, as it sidelines complexity and diversity in favor of brute power.

The Old Order is Changing

The post-Cold War era has eroded, and the rise of China, the persistence of alternative political systems, and the fragmentation of global order have challenged the assumption that liberal democracy and market capitalism would become universal. In response, there is a growing pull towards the language of strength, power, and deterrence. Palantir's manifesto fits neatly into this shift, reflecting a mood that is increasingly visible across Western politics.

A Growing Willingness to Step Beyond Innovation

Palantir's manifesto is a provocation, forcing a conversation about the role of technology in shaping power, politics, and society. However, it also reveals a growing willingness among parts of the technology sector to step beyond innovation and into ideology. This ideology is closer to the far right than it is to nationalism, and if it is allowed to go unchallenged, it might end up advocating for a rearrangement of the Western world.

Our Future Is Not Driven by Technology Alone

While technology will undoubtedly shape our future, it should not be defined by the ambitions of those who build it, however sophisticated their tools or confident their vision. The future of technology must be shaped by a broader set of values, including accountability, oversight, and democratic control.