In this episode of MD MEETS, Axel Springer CEO Mathias Döpfner sits down with Palantir CEO Alex Karp for a wide-ranging conversation about artificial intelligence, geopolitics, and the future of the West.
Karp argues that Europe’s biggest challenge is not a lack of talent but a crisis of political leadership and technological competence. He explains why he believes AI is essential for defending democracies, why Palantir has become one of the world’s most controversial technology companies, and why Europe’s debate about surveillance misses the real battle over technological sovereignty.
The two also discuss Germany’s political landscape, the rise of the AfD, and why Karp believes its growing support reflects deep public frustration over migration and economic stagnation - even as he rejects the party’s positions on Russia and authoritarianism.
The conversation explores trust in institutions, China’s growing technological ambitions, the race between democratic and authoritarian systems, and the future of AI. Karp also reflects on inequality in the AI era, the responsibility of Silicon Valley, and why he still considers himself a progressive despite frequently being portrayed as a political outsider.
Can open societies remain innovative enough to compete with authoritarian rivals? And what will determine whether the next decade belongs to democracies - or to those willing to abandon them?
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