The Philosopher in the Valley: Alex Karp, Palantir and the Rise of the Surveillance State

In the age of big data, no company embodies its promise and its perils more than Palantir. This software firm sells some of the most powerful and dangerous technology in the world, ingesting huge quantities of data and spotting patterns, trends, and connections that would likely elude most people. Apart from Facebook, you’d be hard—pressed to find another tech company that’s making as big of a splash – or fraught with more potential pitfalls.

Founded in 2003 to help the US government in the...