The Technological Republic

Hard Power, Soft Belief, and the Future of the West

De: Alexander C. Karp, Nicholas W. Zamiska

Narrado por: Nicholas W. Zamiska

From the Palantir co-founder, one of tech’s boldest thinkers and The Economist’s “best CEO of 2024,” and his deputy, a sweeping indictment of the West’s culture of complacency, arguing that timid leadership, intellectual fragility, and an unambitious view of technology’s potential in Silicon Valley have made the U.S. vulnerable in an era of mounting global threats.

“Fascinating and important.”—Walter Isaacson, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Elon Musk

ONE OF FINANCIAL TIMES’ MOST ANTICIPATED BOOKS OF THE YEAR

Silicon Valley has lost its way.

Our most brilliant engineering minds once collaborated with government to advance world-changing technologies. Their efforts secured the West’s dominant place in the geopolitical order. But that relationship has now eroded, with perilous repercussions.

Today, the market rewards shallow engagement with the potential of technology. Engineers and founders build photo-sharing apps and marketing algorithms, unwittingly becoming vessels for the ambitions of others. This complacency has spread into academia, politics, and the boardroom. The result? An entire generation for whom the narrow-minded pursuit of the demands of a late capitalist economy has become their calling.

In this groundbreaking treatise, Palantir co-founder and CEO Alexander C. Karp and Nicholas W. Zamiska offer a searing critique of our collective abandonment of ambition, arguing that in order for the U.S. and its allies to retain their global edge—and preserve the freedoms we take for granted—the software industry must renew its commitment to addressing our most urgent challenges, including the new arms race of artificial intelligence. The government, in turn, must embrace the most effective features of the engineering mindset that has propelled Silicon Valley’s success.

Above all, our leaders must reject intellectual fragility and preserve space for ideological confrontation. A willingness to risk the disapproval of the crowd, Karp and Zamiska contend, has everything to do with technological and economic outperformance.

At once iconoclastic and rigorous, this book will also lift the veil on Palantir and its broader political project from the inside, offering a passionate call for the West to wake up to our new reality.

©2025 Alexander C. Karp, Nicholas W. Zamiska (P)2025 Random House Audio

Reseñas de la Crítica

“This book is a rallying cry, as we enter the age of artificial intelligence, for a return to the World War II era of cooperation between the technology industry and government in order to pursue innovation that will advance our national welfare and democratic goals. A fascinating and important work.”—Walter Isaacson

“A bold and ambitious work, The Technological Republic reminds us of a time when technological progress answered a national calling. It is essential reading in the age of AI, as the direction of Silicon Valley will help define the future of American leadership in the world.”—Eric Schmidt, former CEO of Google and chair of the Special Competitive Studies Project

“In today’s complicated geopolitical, technological, and economic environment, the authors’ ability to be both well spoken and outspoken in The Technological Republic can help us understand important issues about the future prosperity of the United States and its allies. The book is by turns provocative and insightful, and Alex Karp’s resilience, patriotism, and depth of experience in our rapidly changing world provide instructive lessons and intellectual arguments for all of us to consider.”—Jamie Dimon, chairman and CEO of JPMorgan Chase

Dr. Alex Karp is a trailblazer!

The future is ours if we seize the opportunity to lead unapologetically. The US tech industry used to be partners with the US government to stay on the cutting edge of technology. Somewhere within the last few decades, Silicon Valley betrayed the very government that allows them to enjoy the benefits of being in a capitalistic society.

In return the big tech companies focus their efforts and intellect on technology applications for consumers of frivolous social media platforms and applications instead of the future of global dominance in AI technology in all aspects of western society. If joint effort takes place, US tech and government can seize this opportunity to build and maintain AI supremacy.

Brilliant and thought provoking!

Alex Karp is a man of keen intellect, who in today’s world, has a unique view on the responsibility our best technology companies and brightest engineers have to our nation state. It is a view that is/was not very popular in the valley, but that does not stop Alex from meticulously making his case. His success in building Palantir on that very notion, has many waking up to the idea that service to our nation, might just be good business as well. Good for you Alex! Count me in as someone who greatly admires your work.

Good

I like that the footnotes are read in place or at the end of the applicable paragraph.

Very dry.

Very dry. It was challenging to keep reading/listeting to it. Good points, but very boring writing

Silicon Valley Lost its Way

Fascinating thought piece lamenting the focus of our greatest tech minds on solving little commercial problems while refusing to support America’s military - whose success is the foundation of Silicon Valley itself and whose continued success is a necessary condition for America’s future including the future of that part of America just south of San Francisco. Thought provoking book, a good contribution to our collective exploration of where we go next.

Anti-consumerism, pro-social

We should be striving for what’s good for society, especially local, and not just focusing on material goods. Love the book, hope it does what it’s trying to do with the masses.

Premise no longer applicable

The book is sprinkled with lovely anecdotes from history, not the least of which is the dependence on the US government for the early advances in technology. ( no they left out Xerox Park, which develop the technology surrounding a handling ) The main premise of the book is now obsolete, that the technological elite has abandoned any work for the government good in favor of serving the consumer. I totally agree that we don’t need another restaurant delivery app. Given this abandonment, the authors suggest that advancements for the good of humankind are less likely to occur. However, the authors prosuppose that the government for whom these technologist would work, is ethical, law abiding and out to serve that good. The current administration is not that. So I’m glad that all of these technical experts are choosing not to work for the government. Similarly, criticism of the left as secular and intolerant, has now been flipped, as the right is canceling anything diverse, even that word. So much of the intent of the book is good, I’m afraid it’s no longer relevant.

Reads like a manifesto

Not my favorite. Reader is very bland. It was hard to get through. There is better non-fiction out there.

Palantir Manifesto

A lot of opinions, some valid points, but this could have been a 15 min podcast.