Palantir Pressured MP to Extend AI Tools to NHS GP Records

Palantir lobbied an MP to stretch the reach of its AI tools into NHS GP records, according to WhatsApp messages obtained by The Guardian. The messages show the firm pressuring Zubir Ahmed MP to help bring sensitive patient data into its platform.

The disclosure raises questions about the extent of corporate influence over the handling of sensitive health data as Palantir seeks to expand its footprint across the NHS. The messages indicate direct engagement between the company and the MP over access to GP records, one of the most sensitive categories of patient information held by the health service.

The reported lobbying effort centres on extending the reach of Palantir's AI tools to include GP records, a move that would significantly broaden the data available to its platform beyond existing arrangements. The WhatsApp exchanges show the firm applying pressure on the MP to assist in bringing that sensitive data within its reach.

The disclosure puts a spotlight on the relationship between Palantir and government figures as the company's role in the NHS expands. GP records contain detailed information about patients' medical histories and are among the most closely guarded datasets in the health system.

The messages were reported by The Guardian as an exclusive, based on WhatsApp correspondence showing the firm's lobbying of the MP over access to NHS GP records.