Health nurses in Austin recently participated in a nationwide protest against Palantir, a software and artificial intelligence firm, due to its controversial role in healthcare. The demonstration took place on Thursday near Riverside Drive and South Congress Avenue, where protesters gathered outside the offices of 8VC, a venture capital firm connected to Palantir through its co-founder.
The protesters, organized by the National Nurses United, chanted slogans such as “No ICE, no war, no Palantir,” while blocking traffic and displaying banners and baby-sized shoes symbolizing children affected by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions. Reports indicate that Medicaid officials had shared sensitive data on millions of individuals with ICE, which was subsequently provided to Palantir.
Monica Gonzalez, a representative from the National Nurses Union, explained that the choice of the 8VC office as a protest site was intentional. Joe Lonsdale, a managing partner at 8VC, co-founded Palantir in 2003. Gonzalez highlighted concerns regarding Palantir’s AI technology being utilized by HCA Healthcare, the largest for-profit hospital operator in the United States. She emphasized that the Timpani scheduling app, which is used for patient assignments and staffing, often leads to detrimental short-staffing for nurses.
“Those decisions should be made by people, not an artificial intelligence machine,” Gonzalez stated, underscoring the need for human judgment in healthcare staffing.
Stickers and posters proclaiming “Palantir Out!” were affixed to the front of the 8VC building, further expressing the protesters’ discontent. During the event, U.S. Representative Greg Casar, D-Austin, addressed the crowd, urging them to resist the growing influence of AI in healthcare and society at large.
“We have to block this ridiculous AI oligarchy from Palantir,” Casar declared, emphasizing the impact on jobs and the potential for exacerbating inequality in society. He warned against allowing a small number of billionaires to gain unprecedented wealth at the expense of the broader population.
Following the speeches, Jake Medwell, a co-founder of 8VC, emerged from the firm’s office to respond to the protestors. “If you’re going to protest, you should do your research,” he remarked, noting that 8VC’s only connection to Palantir is through one of his partners who was involved in its founding.
