Palantir in bed with the NHS

Is Palantir using war to train AI systems for the NHS?

A shocking revelation has come to light regarding the NHS and defence firm Palantir.

The idea that Palantir is “using war to train AI systems for the NHS” has come from a mix of real facts and legitimate ethical concerns.

Here’s a clear breakdown.

1) What Palantir actually does (in both war and healthcare)

Palantir is a US tech company that builds data analysis and AI platforms used in very different contexts:

• Military / war use

Works with the Pentagon and allies on systems like Project Maven

These tools:

• Analyse satellite/drone data

• Help identify targets

• Speed up military decision-making

Some demos even show AI helping plan attacks or interpret battlefield data.

👉 So yes — Palantir does build AI used in warfare

In the UK, Palantir also runs the Federated Data Platform (FDP)

This system:

• Connects hospital data (waiting lists, beds, staff, etc.)

• Helps with scheduling, logistics, and planning care

👉 FDP is mainly about health system efficiency, rather than clinical AI or weapons

2) Where the “training AI with war data” idea comes from

This claim is more about concern than evidence. It usually comes from three points:

A. Same company, different domains

Palantir builds AI for:

• military intelligence

• policing & surveillance

• healthcare

Critics worry:

If the same company builds all these systems, knowledge or techniques could transfer between them.

That’s plausible at a technical level (shared tools, methods), but there’s no concrete evidence that:

NHS data is used to train military AI

or that military data is used to train NHS systems

B. Data-sharing fears (key controversy)

Some groups argue:

• NHS data is extremely valuable (huge population, long history)

• Once data enters complex AI systems, it’s hard to guarantee it isn’t reused

Even though:

NHS England says Palantir is not allowed to train AI on NHS data, Palantir says it does use client data to train its models.

👉 The concern is also about future misuse or lack of transparency.

C. Ethical objections (big driver of the narrative)

Many NHS staff and groups object because Palantir has worked with:

• US military

• immigration enforcement (ICE)

• It develops tools linked to surveillance and warfare

This leads to arguments like:

“Using their software supports a war-linked company”

“Healthcare data shouldn’t be handled by firms tied to military AI”

These concerns are widely reported among NHS staff and unions

3) What is NOT happening (based on evidence)

So far there is no credible evidence that:

❌ NHS patient data is being used to train battlefield AI

❌ War data is directly used to treat NHS patients

❌ The NHS system is a military AI system

4) What is a fair concern vs what isn’t

Legitimate concerns

Data privacy and control

Dependence on a private US tech firm

Ethical issues around Palantir’s other clients

Transparency of AI systems

Less accurate claims

“They are training NHS AI using war data” → ❌ no evidence

“Your medical data is being used to run wars” → ❌ not supported

Core argument: healthcare should not be built on military-industrial infrastructure

Healthcare exists to preserve life impartially.

Military companies are structurally designed for strategic advantage, intelligence gathering, and conflict outcomes.

Combining the two creates unavoidable conflicts of interest that risk distorting healthcare priorities, data use, and public trust.

1) Fundamental mission conflict

Healthcare mission:

• Treat patients equally

• Maximise wellbeing

• Minimise harm

• Maintain trust and confidentiality

Military/defence mission:

• Gain strategic advantage

• Identify threats

• Operate in adversarial environments

• Prioritise national security objectives

Argument:

Even if a company works on both, these missions are not fully compatible. Healthcare data systems built by defence contractors risk inheriting a logic of surveillance and control rather than care and confidentiality.

2) Risk of function creep (gradual misuse)

A key concern is function creep: systems built for one purpose slowly expand into others.

Example risks; health data systems later used for:

• population monitoring

• predictive policing

• security screening

• “Emergency use” justification expanding over time

Argument:

Once infrastructure exists, it is difficult to strictly enforce boundaries between healthcare use and security use, especially when the provider’s core expertise is intelligence and defence.

3) Data trust and patient confidence

Healthcare depends on absolute trust that:

• sensitive data stays within medical contexts

• it is not repurposed for non-medical surveillance

If patients believe their data is connected to military-linked firms:

• they may withhold information

• they may avoid care

• public trust in health institutions erodes

Argument:

Even perceived association with defence intelligence can damage the psychological contract between patients and healthcare systems.

4) Concentration of power and opacity

Military tech companies often:

• operate with high levels of secrecy

• work on classified contracts

• resist full public disclosure

Healthcare systems require:

• transparency

• clinical accountability

• public scrutiny

Argument:

When critical healthcare infrastructure is built by firms used to secrecy, democratic oversight becomes harder, weakening accountability.

5) Normalisation of surveillance infrastructure

Military AI systems are often designed for:

• detection

• tracking

• prediction of “threats”

In healthcare, similar tools can become:

• risk scoring systems

• predictive profiling of patients

• automated prioritisation of care

Argument:

This can shift healthcare from universal care to risk-managed population control, especially if models prioritise efficiency over equity.

6) Ethical spillover and reputational legitimacy

Working with healthcare can:

• legitimise military companies in civilian life

• blur public understanding of surveillance technologies

• make defence contractors appear “neutral infrastructure providers”

Argument:

This risks normalising companies whose primary expertise is defence and intelligence into spaces that should remain strictly civilian and humanitarian.

7) Alternative is possible (so trade-off is not necessary)

A strong argument must address inevitability. Healthcare systems can instead use:

• public-sector tech development

• open-source platforms

• civilian-only contractors with strict health governance

• transparent procurement systems

Argument:

Because alternatives exist, reliance on military-linked firms is a choice, not a necessity.

Conclusion

Healthcare depends on trust, transparency, and non-adversarial data use, while military companies are built around secrecy, intelligence, and strategic advantage.

Combining them risks distorting healthcare priorities, weakening public trust, and enabling long-term expansion of surveillance logic into medical systems.

Bottom line

• Palantir does build AI used in war

• It also builds data systems for the NHS

The systems are purportedly separate in purpose. The controversy is really about:

• trust

• ethics

• data governance

More: How AI is being used to target Palestinians

Comments

Learjet 60 Accident: Palm Beach, Florida

A Learjet 60 crashed in Palm Beach County, Florida, on Sunday 1 November 2026, sadly killing all nine people aboard. The circumstances are particularly disturbing, as preliminary information suggests the aircraft experienced serious difficulties shortly before plunging almost vertically towards the ground. There is a historical pattern of Learjet aircraft experiencing unexpected loss of control at high altitude, followed by extremely rapid descents. What happened? Date: 1 November 2026. Aircraft: Learjet 60, registration N722BD. Location: Near Cresthaven, Greenacres, Palm Beach County, Florida. People aboard: Nine – all died. Departure: Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Texas. Destination: North Eleuthera Airport, Bahamas. Crash time: Approximately 12:50pm local time. The aircraft crashed close to Military Trail and 10th Avenue North, erupting into a huge fireball. It narrowly missed nearby homes and passing vehicles. The final moments – what went wrong? This is perhaps the...

The Tamang People of Nepal — History, Culture and a Community Living Through Disaster

The Tamang are an indigenous people of the Himalayan hills. Among Nepal's many ethnic communities, the Tamang occupy a distinctive place in the country's history and cultural landscape. Numbering approximately 1.64 million people according to Nepal's 2021 census, the Tamang are one of the country's largest Indigenous groups. Around three-quarters live in what is now Bagmati Province, particularly in the hill and mountain districts surrounding Kathmandu. Their traditional homeland encompasses areas including Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Makwanpur, Kavrepalanchok, Sindhupalchok and neighbouring districts. Their communities are particularly associated with the Himalayan foothills and highlands north of Kathmandu — precisely the mountainous region that has repeatedly been exposed to earthquakes, landslides, floods and other natural hazards. Yet the Tamang are far more than a geographical population. They possess their own language, religious traditions, social institutions, ...

Starlizard: The Secretive Betting Machine Built on Data

There are bookmakers that advertise on television, betting apps that sit on millions of smartphones and casinos that spend billions trying to attract customers. Then there is Starlizard. The London-based company operates largely away from public view. Its business is built around something considerably less glamorous than advertising: enormous quantities of sporting data, statistical modelling, probability and the ability to act on tiny discrepancies in betting markets. At its centre is billionaire businessman and professional gambler Tony Bloom, the owner of Brighton & Hove Albion. Starlizard has become one of the most interesting examples of what happens when gambling is treated less like a game of chance and more like quantitative finance. And recent High Court proceedings have provided an unusually detailed glimpse inside an organisation that has historically been extremely reluctant to reveal how it operates. Who is Starlizard? Starlizard was established in 2006 and is based i...

Science in 1926: What We Knew, What We Got Wrong, and What Comes Next

From the birth of television to the foundations of quantum physics, 1926 was a year that helped shape the modern world. But a century ago, scientific confidence often exceeded scientific understanding. What will future generations think of the science we believe in today? A Century Between Two Worlds Imagine travelling back to 1926 and telling a scientist that, within a century, humans would walk on the Moon, transplant organs, edit DNA, communicate instantly across the planet and carry devices with more computing power than entire rooms of machinery. They might believe some of it. Much of it would sound like science fiction. Now imagine travelling in the opposite direction. A scientist from 2126 arrives today and examines our hospitals, laboratories, computers and scientific textbooks. What would astonish them? What would they admire? And which of our most confidently held beliefs would make them smile in disbelief? The year 1926 offers an unusually revealing starting point...

The Lake That Can Turn Animals to Stone — What Really Happens at Lake Natron?

In northern Tanzania, near the border with Kenya, lies a lake with an almost otherworldly reputation. Its waters can appear red, orange or pink, temperatures can become extreme, and its chemistry is hostile to most forms of life. Yet Lake Natron is not a dead lake. It is one of the most unusual ecosystems on Earth — and the apparent contradiction at its heart is what makes it so fascinating. The same conditions that can preserve the remains of animals also create an environment where millions of flamingos can breed. Photographs of apparently petrified birds have helped create the legend that Lake Natron literally turns animals to stone. The reality is stranger, but considerably more scientific. A Lake in the Rift Valley Lake Natron sits in Tanzania's Gregory Rift, part of the enormous East African Rift system. It is a closed basin, meaning water enters the lake but does not flow out to the sea or into another major river system. Instead, water is lost primarily through evaporation...

UK Weapon Manufacturers

Major UK weapons manufacturers (prime contractors) These are the companies that design and build complete weapons systems: • BAE Systems – by far the UK’s largest defence company (warships, submarines, aircraft, munitions) • Babcock International – naval support, submarines, military infrastructure • Rolls-Royce Holdings – nuclear submarine reactors, military jet engines • MBDA – missiles (joint UK/France/Italy company, major UK presence) • Leonardo UK – radar, sensors, helicopters • Thales - surveillance systems used by armed forces around the world 👉 There are roughly 5–10 major “prime” weapons manufacturers in the UK. The wider defence industry Beyond the primes, the picture gets much bigger. Thousands of companies supply: • Components (electronics, metals, software) • Subsystems (guidance, propulsion) • Maintenance and support According to UK defence industry data: • Around 12,000+ companies are involved in the UK defence supply chain • Only a fraction of these actually manufactur...

The Town Beneath the Water — The Lost Streets of Derwent, England

For most of the year, there is little evidence that a village once stood beneath the waters of Ladybower Reservoir. The reservoir occupies a broad valley in the Peak District of Derbyshire. Its waters provide drinking water for communities across the East Midlands, while the surrounding landscape has become one of the most recognisable parts of the Peak District. But beneath the surface lies a different landscape. There were once houses here. There was a church. There was a school. There were farms, roads, trees and a community that had existed for generations. The villages of Derwent and Ashopton were deliberately abandoned in the 1940s before the valleys were flooded to create the Ladybower Reservoir. Today, most of that landscape is hidden. Occasionally, however, falling water levels reveal fragments of what was lost. And when they do, thousands of people are reminded that the reservoir isn't simply a landscape feature. It is also a submerged piece of Derbyshire history. Two Vil...

Where Is Elon Musk’s Tesla Roadster Now? The Strange Journey of Starman Through the Solar System

On 6 February 2018, Elon Musk did something that sounded like a joke but was entirely real. During the first demonstration flight of SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy, instead of launching a conventional dummy payload, Musk placed his own midnight-cherry Tesla Roadster on top of the rocket. Behind the wheel sat a mannequin wearing a spacesuit. Its name was Starman. More than eight years later, the car is still travelling through space. It is not parked in orbit around Earth. It is not orbiting Mars. And despite the popular images of the car apparently heading towards the Red Planet, Mars was never its actual destination. The Tesla is now an artificial object in heliocentric orbit — orbiting the Sun. And as of August 2026, it is continuing its enormous looping journey through the inner Solar System. Where Is the Tesla Roadster Right Now? The latest available orbital tracking data puts the Roadster roughly 102 million kilometres from Earth and about 244 million kilometres from the Sun. That pla...

The Tollund Man: What Happened to the Man Who Was Hanged 2,400 Years Ago?

In 1950, two brothers cutting peat in a bog near Silkeborg, Denmark, made an extraordinary discovery. At first, they believed they had found the body of someone recently murdered. The man's face was remarkably well preserved. His eyes were closed, his expression peaceful, and around his neck was a leather cord. But this was no modern crime scene. The body was more than 2,000 years old. Known today as the Tollund Man, he is one of the best-preserved human remains ever discovered from prehistoric Europe. His body survived because of an unusual combination of acidic water, low oxygen and the chemical conditions found inside peat bogs. Yet preservation is only part of the mystery. The question that has fascinated archaeologists for decades is much darker: Why was he killed and placed in the bog? A man frozen in time Tollund Man probably lived during the 4th century BCE, during Europe's Iron Age. When discovered, much of his body was still astonishingly intact. His face retained re...

Point Nemo: The Most Isolated Place on Earth

Imagine standing in the middle of the ocean. There is no island on the horizon. No coastline. No lighthouse. No passing fishing boat. In every direction, land is thousands of kilometres away. You are closer to the emptiness of the Pacific than to almost anywhere inhabited by humans. This place exists. It is known as Point Nemo — the oceanic pole of inaccessibility — and it lies in the remote South Pacific Ocean. But Point Nemo is more than simply a dot on a map. It is one of the strangest geographical locations on Earth, a place where isolation becomes almost absolute. And, remarkably, it has also become associated with something rather unusual: the final resting place of spacecraft. Where exactly is Point Nemo? Point Nemo lies at approximately 48°52.6′S, 123°23.6′W. According to NOAA, the nearest land is roughly 2,688 kilometres away. Three pieces of land are approximately equally distant: Ducie Island in the Pitcairn Islands, Motu Nui near Easter Island, and Maher Island off Ant...

Blurs

Search This Blog