Palantir CEO Alex Karp claims the tech giant is first anti-woke company, advocates meritocracy – here’s what it means

Palantir Technologies CEO Alex Karp said on Monday’s earnings call that the defense and data giant was “the first company to completely oppose wokeness.”

He praised people working at Palantir as defenders of free speech, describing them as “fighting for the right side of what should work in this country, for meritocracy and lethal technology.” These principles have contributed to the company’s success in producing software for businesses and the U.S. government, enabling it to deliver enterprise-quality results to ordinary Americans, according to a report by Business Insider.

The defense company generated nearly $1.2 billion in revenue in the September quarter, up 63% from the same period a year earlier, the company said in a statement Monday, citing “accelerating and exceptional growth.”

Palantir’s U.S. revenue more than doubled last year, rising 121% to $397 million, while U.S. government revenue rose 52% to $486 million.

Speaking about the company’s results, Karp said, “These are arguably the best results any software company has ever delivered.”

What is anti-wake?

Anti-woke is a term used to describe political and ideological opposition to so-called “woke” concepts, generally considered progressive social and political thought focused on addressing social injustice, promoting diversity, and promoting inclusion.

Anti-woke case

Since last year, Silicon Valley has increasingly supported the anti-woke movement and US President Donald Trump. Tech leaders including OpenAI’s Sam Altman and Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg praised the president at a White House dinner this fall.

“We provide power to ICE,” Karp said, adding, “We supported Israel. OK, these are very controversial. I don’t know why these are controversial, but a lot of people find this controversial.”

By choosing the “right people,” Karp said, he ensured “Palantir remains as tribal, denominational, and unique as it was 20 years ago.”

Lisa Gordon, previously the company’s communications chief and a self-described Democrat, described Palantir’s political push against Trump as “concerning” in an interview at a summit hosted by tech news outlet The Information in late October.

Karp did not hold back during Monday’s call, calling for increased border inspections and a renewed focus on so-called “average poor” Americans.

Notably, Karp supported Kamala Harris’ 2024 presidential campaign. In his shareholder letter, he called for “a return to common national experience” and “the embrace of common identity.”