Palantir's Software: Connecting Data for Decisions

Palantir is a company in the data-engineering world. It sells software to fix a problem that sounds almost impossible: taking all the "data silos" — scattered data across an organization — and connecting it all in one place. "Five different names for the same person, no shared key," explained the narrator. The company was founded in 2003.

The software that draws red string

Palantir's software — Gotham and Foundry — can link people, places, events, documents, vehicles, and more. Gotham, which handles government and defense, was Palantir's first answer to the problem of disconnected information. Later, Foundry took on the task for businesses to connect data about orders, shipping, and inventory. Like a detective connecting clues, Gotham and Foundry allow users to start with one piece of information and follow it to the next. For example, an analyst begins with a person's name, then finds a phone number, connects it to a location, then ties the location to an event.

Connecting the dots

Palantir does not exist in a vacuum. The world of large organizations is strangled by scattered data. In response — Palantir. The company offers two main tools for bringing data together. Foundry is the commercial data platform, Gotham is used for government and defense. When building a data-driven world, Palantir solves two problems for organizations. First, the company can link different systems and data sources. Second, it addresses the lack of shared keys to connect the data.

One giant detective wall

Palantir’s technology transforms a giant maze of data into a streamlined system, moving from a messy web to an organized picture. The key concept here is ontology, which infuses raw data with real-world meaning. The ontology allows people to think in terms of objects and relationships, rather than database tables. Palantir engineers further facilitate this process with forward-deployed engineers, or FDS. Palantir engineers work directly inside customer operations, connecting data and building workflows around real problems. The process is simple: FDS engineers go inside an organization, they look at the data within, and build workflows around the data.

The Fine Print

The company caters to different types of customers with its products. Foundry addresses the needs of businesses, such as manufacturers and other large organizations. Gotham, on the other hand, is tailored for government agencies and defense departments. The primary task of Gotham is to link large databases of information with government data, allowing for a more streamlined data flow. Palantir's technology solves the problem of disconnected data within an organization. The great mystery about Palantir, Palantir is not AI. Nor is it government surveillance software. Both are aspects of what the company can do, but they do not define the company. The core of Palantir's business is connecting an organization’s data, giving it real-world meaning, and building applications and AI on top. Turn disconnected data into one operating picture.

AI enhanced data

But that's not all. In 2023, Palantir launched AIP, its artificial intelligence platform. "A language model by itself can answer questions. But a company does not just want a summarized document. It wants to know which factories are at risk of missing deliveries next week, why, and what should we do about it?” said the narrator. The artificial intelligence simplifies the complex task of tinkering with different databases, knowing what data you need to move—where you need to move it, giving it real-world meaning.

Palantir’s vision

Ask yourself, do I need Palantir’s software? If you manage a business with data silos everywhere, then Palantir may be a good option for you. If your company is missing the connections in your disparate databases, then Palantir’s software may be a good option for you. Palantir is offering big solutions to big problems.