Palantir Announces Fellowship for Neurodivergent Individuals Inspired by CEO's Viral Video

After a video of Palantir's CEO Alex Karp went viral, showing him visibly restless, the company is creating a fellowship aimed at neurodivergent people.

The tech firm took to X to express that they want those who see themselves in Karp's inability to sit still or those who process thoughts quicker than speech to consider applying.

According to Palantir, the CEO himself will conduct the final interviews for this Neurodivergent Fellowship.

Karp mentioned that individuals with diverse neural frameworks, like himself, could have a significant impact on America's future. In his words, these individuals have a unique ability to look beyond superficial narratives and find inherent beauty visible through art and technology.

Furthermore, Karp highlighted that the current development state of large language models tends to favor those who are neurodivergent.

He emphasized, "Palantir aims to leverage your unique abilities to tackle the most pressing issues in the West."

The decision to introduce this fellowship aligns closely with recent online discussions surrounding Karp's restless body language during an interview at the DealBook Summit with The New York Times’ Andrew Ross Sorkin.

Katherine Boyle, from a16z, commented on the video, urging educators nationwide to observe the video where Karp couldn’t seem to remain still.

During the interview, Karp defended Palantir's sometimes controversial operational ethics and expressed approval of certain immigration policies of Donald Trump.

During a cross-country skiing outing, Karp resolved to establish the Neurodivergent Fellowship, inviting those who see their experiences reflected in his to apply.

Despite not specifying any neurodiverse condition, Karp, who is open about his own dyslexia, has discussed the challenges it brings, such as difficulty in following societal norms.

He remarked, "While I'm not universally adored, I am quite content being myself most days."

Neurodiversity encompasses a range of conditions, including ADHD, autism, Tourette's syndrome, dyslexia, and dyspraxia.

Palantir confirmed that they would soon provide an application link for those interested in the Neurodivergent Fellowship.