Palantir CEO Declares Company “First Anti-Woke” Tech Giant
Palantir Technologies CEO Alex Karp has positioned his defense and data company as “the first company to be completely anti-woke” during a recent earnings call. The announcement came alongside impressive financial results showing the company’s revenue surged to nearly $1.2 billion in the September quarter – a 63% year-over-year increase.
Key Takeaways
- Palantir CEO Alex Karp declares company “completely anti-woke”
- Company posts $1.2 billion revenue with 63% year-over-year growth
- Karp emphasizes meritocracy and “lethal technology” as core principles
- US government revenue grew 52% to $486 million
Record-Breaking Financial Performance
Palantir’s financial results demonstrate significant momentum, with the company describing its growth as “accelerating and otherworldly.” US commercial revenue more than doubled, increasing by 121% to $397 million, while government contracts grew 52% to $486 million. Karp boldly claimed these represent “the best results that any software company has ever delivered.”
Understanding Anti-Wokeness
Anti-woke refers to political and ideological opposition to progressive social concepts focused on addressing social injustice, promoting diversity, and fostering inclusion. Karp positioned Palantir as championing meritocracy and free speech while acknowledging the controversial nature of some company positions.
Silicon Valley’s Political Shift
The tech industry has shown increasing support for anti-wokeness and political figures including former President Donald Trump. Other tech leaders like OpenAI’s Sam Altman and Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg have also engaged with conservative political circles.
Karp directly addressed Palantir’s controversial contracts, stating: “We power ICE. We’ve supported Israel. Okay, these are very controversial. I don’t know why this is all controversial, but many people find that controversial.”
Internal Culture and Political Positioning
The CEO emphasized maintaining Palantir’s unique culture, saying he ensures the company “stays as tribal and cultish and unique as it was 20 years ago” by selecting “the right people.” This approach has created internal tensions, with company communications chief Lisa Gordon, a self-identified Democrat, describing Palantir’s political move toward Trump as “concerning.”
Despite the conservative positioning, Karp has backed Kamala Harris’ 2024 presidential campaign and called for a “return to a shared national experience” and an “embrace of a common identity” in his shareholder letter.
