One Decision Inside Palantir: The Future of Global Security and AI
Sep 25, 2025
In this engaging conversation, Lauren Penneys, Senior Vice President for U.S. Government at Palantir, sheds light on the company's controversial work in defense and public health. She discusses Palantir's evolution from post-9/11 intelligence to supporting efforts in Ukraine and the NHS. Lauren clarifies that Palantir does not scrape public data and emphasizes the importance of governance to prevent misuse. The conversation also explores the potential of AI in enhancing operational efficiency while balancing privacy and security concerns.
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Layering Modern Software Over Legacy Systems
- Palantir overlays modern software on legacy systems to make disparate data useful without wholesale replacement.
- This approach prioritizes speed, security, and operationalizing data for users in crisis-driven environments.
Enabling Third-Party Innovation
- Palantir positions itself as a gateway for next-generation companies to enter government markets.
- The company emphasizes enabling third-party innovation rather than monopolizing contracts.
Ontology First, AI Second
- Palantir pairs secure infrastructure with an ontology to make AI and large language models useful on sensitive data.
- The ontology provides meaning first, then AI layers deliver actionable capabilities.