Palantir's AIP: A Precursor Technology
Palantir’s CEO Alex Karp used an oddly specific phrase, not merely once, but twice in the $PLTR earnings call.
This phrase is packed with meaning, showing what Karp thinks this AI book will lead to and the integral role that AIP will play. The key phrase is “precursor technology.” No, this isn’t a term out of Halo. We’ll look at what it is. First, what did Karp say? Karp’s first mention is obscure.
Don’t believe me? Have you heard him speak? As much as I love the man, Karp can make a lovely word salad at any moment.
What he meant is initially unclear. But the next mention in his closing remarks makes it clear. “We went deep on technology, that’s Foundry. We went deep on the logical extension of that, which is all these precursor technologies that we’ve now begun building into AIP. And that -- we went deep against the playbook, and in fact, the playbook now does not exist, the playbook that is being built looks exactly like the products that are a reflection of our culture. And that’s just an insurmountable advantage and we are very focused on taking advantage of it.”
Okay, that’s better, but let’s break it down.
1) AIP is the “logical extension” of Foundry.
2) AIP is a platform which incorporates multiple “precursor technologies.”
3) AIP is something novel, and Palantir is using it to write the “playbook.”
4) Palantir’s culture is inexorably embedded within the product. So what, exactly, is a precursor technology? A precursor technology is development that forms the foundation for subsequent technologies or advancements.
As an example, ARPANET was a precursor technology which paved the way for the internet. Here’s a brief history lesson: 1) MILITARY PROJECT – ARPANET, used by DARPA in the 1960’s. TCP/IP protocol was integrated to send/receive data over networks 2) CIVILIAN - The success inspired similar civilian networks. 3) INTERCONNECTION - ARPANET and these networks interconnected, establishing protocols to connect with each other and interoperate. 4) DEPLOYMENT - The World Wide Web utilized this infrastructure for the modern internet.
AIP builds on a military foundation (Gotham), which led to a commercial product (Foundry), and interconnects a suite of tools (AIP Builder, Terminal, Logic, and Automate).
AIP is the precursor to further AI development. As written yesterday, LLMs are severely impacted by governance limitations and hallucination. If they cannot be trusted, they cannot be effectively used by a business.
Per Palantir’s 10-Q statement, "We believe AIP uniquely allows users to connect LLMs with their data and operations to facilitate decision-making within the legal, ethical, and security constraints that they require.” The market is buzzing. 100+ clients on board, with 300+ queued up and waiting. This isn't another product; it’s the groundwork for future AI, imbued with Palantir's mission to protect Western values and preserve the Western world.
The customers appear to understand how vital AIP is:
This isn't a tech wave; it's an AI tsunami as large as the internet. And with AIP at the helm, Palantir is not just riding it — they're directing it. Brace for impact.
This was a guest article by CrossRoads, an avid Palantir investor and content creator, -- you can follow him on twitter here.
