Exclusive: UN renews contract with Palantir despite concerns raised in audit

The United Nations has decided to renew its contract with U.S.-based tech firm Palantir Technologies, despite ongoing concerns highlighted in a recent internal audit. The decision comes amid heightened scrutiny over how the World Food Programme (WFP), a key UN agency, handles vast amounts of sensitive data collected through its SCOPE system, which tracks millions of people receiving humanitarian aid globally. The WFP, based in Rome, uses Palantir’s Digital Operations and Transformation System (DOTS) to optimize its logistical operations and manage the flow of aid. The system was initially developed as a free service but has since evolved into a critical component of the WFP’s infrastructure. According to a leaked internal audit obtained by France 24 and PassBlue, the WFP faces significant challenges in ensuring adequate data protection and risk management in its dealings with Palantir. The audit, conducted in August 2025, criticizes the lack of proper policies and guidelines around data privacy in the partnership, labeling these issues as a "high priority." The audit highlights that key privacy concerns raised by both internal and external stakeholders regarding the use of DOTS have not been adequately addressed. The WFP lacks a unified and trusted system for managing its data, and reputational risks associated with the collaboration with Palantir are evident. Despite this, a WFP spokesperson confirmed that the agency is moving forward with the renewal of its contract with Palantir, stating that the general scope and terms of the agreement will remain unchanged from the 2019 deal. The renewed contract is expected to be signed in August, according to WFP sources. Palantir, founded in 2003 and named after the crystal ball from J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, has long been linked to the U.S. intelligence community. The company’s AI-powered data integration tools are widely used within the American military and surveillance apparatus. These systems are capable of analyzing large datasets to identify patterns and connections that might otherwise go unnoticed by human analysts. While Palantir insists it is not primarily a "data-mining" company, its technologies have been implicated in controversial applications, including immigration enforcement and military operations in regions such as Iran and Gaza. Concerns about the ethical implications of the WFP-Palantir partnership have grown following a cyberattack on the WFP in May, which exposed sensitive data on thousands of aid recipients in Gaza. Although the WFP clarified that the breach affected only its self-registration application for Palestinian refugees and had no direct link to Palantir’s software, the incident reignited debates about the security and integrity of the data managed by the agency. Some WFP employees worry that the data collected by the organization could be used to train Palantir’s artificial intelligence systems, raising questions about potential misuse. A report by the independent research group Tech for Bad further complicates the situation, describing the WFP-Palantir partnership as a "clear conflict of interest" and a "grave abdication of ethical responsibility." The report argues that the continued investment in DOTS violates core UN principles and undermines public trust in the organization’s commitment to transparency and accountability. Meanwhile, the U.S. government appears to support the partnership, as evidenced by the appointment of Luke Lindberg, a high-ranking official from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, to lead the WFP. Lindberg’s nomination has drawn attention given that his department signed a $300 million contract with Palantir earlier this year. Inside the UN, opinions are divided. Some officials advocate for stricter oversight and ethical standards in the use of AI technologies, while others prioritize efficiency and operational effectiveness. The debate reflects broader tensions within international institutions about balancing technological innovation with the need to protect vulnerable populations and uphold fundamental rights. As the WFP moves toward finalizing its contract renewal, the outcome will likely shape future discussions on the role of private technology firms in humanitarian efforts and the governance of sensitive data on a global scale.