What happened
More than a hundred registered nurses protested outside Palantir's former Palo Alto headquarters on Aug. 27, 2026, and in seven other cities, calling for hospitals and officials to cut ties with the AI firm.
Why it matters
National Nurses United says Palantir's AI tools are affecting staffing and care decisions, and that hospitals like HCA Healthcare and Mount Sinai Health System are using them despite concerns about the company's work with defense and immigration agencies.
What to watch
The union, representing over 225,000 members, is preparing for contract negotiations with HCA, Kaiser Permanente and other employers. Palantir earned nearly $2 billion in net income in the first half of this year.
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The protests mark an escalation in National Nurses United's campaign against Palantir, which has won contracts with defense and immigration agencies. The union's concerns center on the use of AI in clinical settings, where it says decisions about staffing and care may not align with healthcare values.
Palantir's expansion into healthcare comes as its business grows, with CEO Alex Karp reporting that the company's business nearly doubled in 12 months and earned nearly $2 billion in net income in the first half of the year. The union's upcoming contract negotiations with major employers could bring these issues to the forefront.
The union's criticisms also extend to Palantir's work with Israel's Ministry of Defense and its role in immigration enforcement, which protesters say should disqualify it from healthcare. Hospitals have not commented, leaving the future of these partnerships uncertain.
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