Alex Karp, born on October 2, 1967, is an American billionaire businessman and entrepreneur. He is best known as the co-founder and CEO of Palantir Technologies, a software firm specializing in data analytics platforms for government agencies, militaries, and corporations. Karp co-founded Palantir in 2003 with Peter Thiel and others. Under Karp's leadership, Palantir has become a key partner to Western governments, with its software used by intelligence and security agencies. Palantir's headquarters are in Miami, Florida.
Karp's leadership style is considered unconventional, blending outspoken views on social issues with an emphasis on ethical technology use and employee well-being. He has been recognized for his commitment to defending democratic values and promoting transparency in the deployment of AI and data analytics. Karp earned a Bachelor's degree from Haverford College, a J.D. from Stanford Law School, and a Ph.D. in social theory from Goethe University in Frankfurt, Germany. In 2025, Time magazine named him one of the world's most influential people. Despite selling $2.2 billion in Palantir stock over the last three years, Karp still owns a significant number of shares. In January 2026, Karp attended the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where he discussed the role of AI and its impact on civil liberties. Also in January 2026, Palantir won a $30 million contract with ICE to develop ImmigrationOS, an app to streamline the agency's deportations.
