Palantir CEO Says AI to Make Large-Scale Immigration Obsolete(bloomberg.com)
bloomberg.com
Palantir CEO Says AI to Make Large-Scale Immigration Obsolete
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-01-20/palantir-ceo-says-ai-to-make-large-scale-immigration-obsolete
21 comments
>> “There will be more than enough jobs for the citizens of your nation, especially those with vocational training,”
I was with him until "vocational training", he's obviously implying that the bots will be bosses and the humans - Indians. That message is being thrown around way too often to exclude the possibility of a planned development.
> Previous waves of automation sure didn’t stop the demand for immigrant labor - if anything, it’s only increased.
Past performance does not guarantee future results, I'd much rather analyze a situation for what it is than rely on rough and unproven analogies.
I'm not sure what "waves of automation" you have in mind but for example, automation in the auto industry did lead to a drastic reduction of workforce per car produced, just look at the former auto factories in Detroit. So the Palantir guy is kind of right here.
The real issue is who will control the AI, because in addition to being a workforce reducer it can serve as a rather petty oppressor. The reduction of immigration is the least of your worries here.
I was with him until "vocational training", he's obviously implying that the bots will be bosses and the humans - Indians. That message is being thrown around way too often to exclude the possibility of a planned development.
> Previous waves of automation sure didn’t stop the demand for immigrant labor - if anything, it’s only increased.
Past performance does not guarantee future results, I'd much rather analyze a situation for what it is than rely on rough and unproven analogies.
I'm not sure what "waves of automation" you have in mind but for example, automation in the auto industry did lead to a drastic reduction of workforce per car produced, just look at the former auto factories in Detroit. So the Palantir guy is kind of right here.
The real issue is who will control the AI, because in addition to being a workforce reducer it can serve as a rather petty oppressor. The reduction of immigration is the least of your worries here.
Really curious how it's going to kill the need for immigrants in construction, agriculture, food service, hospitality, lawn care, cleaning, building maintenance, etc.
Maybe the idea is all us displaced software folks end up in the fields picking fruit?
Maybe the idea is all us displaced software folks end up in the fields picking fruit?
> Maybe the idea is all us displaced software folks end up in the fields picking fruit?
Apparently, that's exactly the main idea here. Them and other expendable office workers.
Apparently, that's exactly the main idea here. Them and other expendable office workers.
It’s also interesting because the whole SV model assumes demand which goes way down if a genuine AI enters the market and starts cutting into middle class jobs. There aren’t many ads targeting low-wage workers, not nearly enough to support the tech sector.
They either lack that foresight and are completely oblivious of that limitation (the Dunning-Kruger effect), or they're lying shamelessly to manipulate the market in the hopes cashing out in the end, sort of like a pump-and-dump scheme or a pyramid scheme. Based on many of their track records I wouldn't be too surprised if both effects are at play, reinforcing each other.
There is a reason why you are seeing a ton of humanoid robots in development. They just don't have the software to make them viable yet.
Yeah this is a massive oversimplification from someone who appears to have a big ego
Sure! They all have overinflated egos that're propped up by PR shenanigans and doesn't match their demonstrated achievements. But their opinions are more likely their aspirations rather than oversimplifications.
What follows is my gut feeling from observing their public interactions. So take it with as much salt as you like. At this point I'm confused as to whether they're motivated by wealth (greed) or by the suffering they inflict while amassing it (misanthropy). If you carefully observe the interviews of the broligarchs and some others in power, you'll notice that they're genuinely happy and excited to discuss plans and activities that cause widespread misery, pain or even death. I can give you numerous examples of such instances, but this will probably seem eerily familiar to you too. Even this story is one such example.
It's as if multiple people bullied or abused them in their childhood and now they're out to prove their superiority and importance and show humanity its place. It's like a super villain revenge fantasy. I know that at least a few individuals among them does have such a dark history. But this behavioral pattern in pervasive among them.
What follows is my gut feeling from observing their public interactions. So take it with as much salt as you like. At this point I'm confused as to whether they're motivated by wealth (greed) or by the suffering they inflict while amassing it (misanthropy). If you carefully observe the interviews of the broligarchs and some others in power, you'll notice that they're genuinely happy and excited to discuss plans and activities that cause widespread misery, pain or even death. I can give you numerous examples of such instances, but this will probably seem eerily familiar to you too. Even this story is one such example.
It's as if multiple people bullied or abused them in their childhood and now they're out to prove their superiority and importance and show humanity its place. It's like a super villain revenge fantasy. I know that at least a few individuals among them does have such a dark history. But this behavioral pattern in pervasive among them.
> “There will be more than enough jobs for the citizens of your nation, especially those with vocational training,” said Karp
“More than enough jobs”… so enough jobs for all the citizens, and then more available jobs? Am I interpreting this correctly? That sounds like a case for immigration, not against it.
The idea that vocational jobs will be it, is pretty unsettling to someone who went the office route specifically to have a job that could be done as I age. Now that I’m aging and my knee stops working if I walk too much, the idea of retraining to hang drywall sounds more ludicrous than all those “learn to code” ads people loved to get upset about. I’m hoping the realities of all of this will take long enough for me to retire. If it’s anything like FSD, it will. It been 3 years away for 12 years now.
“More than enough jobs”… so enough jobs for all the citizens, and then more available jobs? Am I interpreting this correctly? That sounds like a case for immigration, not against it.
The idea that vocational jobs will be it, is pretty unsettling to someone who went the office route specifically to have a job that could be done as I age. Now that I’m aging and my knee stops working if I walk too much, the idea of retraining to hang drywall sounds more ludicrous than all those “learn to code” ads people loved to get upset about. I’m hoping the realities of all of this will take long enough for me to retire. If it’s anything like FSD, it will. It been 3 years away for 12 years now.
character: l (displayed as l) (codepoint 108, #o154, #x6c)
LATIN SMALL LETTER L
I think some people in their ivory towers don’t realise many places around the world don’t have access to running or clean water, let alone electricity or an internet connection.
The likelihood of his suggestion is very very slim.
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Looks like he lost a fight with a Van de Graaff
It's an attempt to appear as a nonconformist that a genius visionary has to be (from their perspective). SBF did the exact same thing.
This messaging is like tailor made for the culture war and the cynical part of me wonders if the goal is to appeal to Trump voters?
“No immigration and more blue collar jobs”
“No immigration and more blue collar jobs”
Nonsense
>“There will be more than enough jobs for the citizens of your nation, especially those with vocational training,” said Karp, speaking at a World Economic Forum panel in Davos, Switzerland on Tuesday. “I do think these trends really do make it hard to imagine why we should have large-scale immigration unless you have a very specialized skill.”
Idk man, that sounds like a crock of nonsense. Previous waves of automation sure didn’t stop the demand for immigrant labor - if anything, it’s only increased.