Palantir’s New ‘Driving Thrust’: Predicting Coronavirus Outbreaks
The Peter Thiel-backed company is helping governments discern where to send equipment.
More than a dozen countries are using data-mining software provided by Palantir Technologies Inc. for coronavirus response efforts. The Silicon Valley company said its technology is helping officials predict the locations of outbreaks and determine where to deploy medical staff and supplies, but the initiative is testing governments’ ability to balance privacy with public health.
In the last week, a dozen governments joined the U.S. and U.K. in adopting Palantir software for their fights against the deadly virus, according to people familiar with the projects. They include agencies in Austria, Canada, Greece and Spain, said the people, who asked not to be identified because they weren’t authorized to discuss the work publicly.