Public transcript

Palantir CEO Alex Karp rages against short sellers

By: Chaotic Good
Length: 5 min
Language: English
Text from: the video's captions
Transcribed: 12 October 2026

Read the full transcript Open on YouTube

Notes in English.

Summary

Palantir CEO Alex Karp responds angrily to short sellers targeting his company, arguing they are attacking the most important software company in America and the AI revolution itself. He defends Palantir's valuation by citing exceptional metrics like a rule of 114, 121% US commercial growth, and 77% aggregate US growth. He suggests the short positions, including Michael Burry's reported $912 million bet, may amount to market manipulation. Karp concludes that Palantir will keep delivering strong numbers and he will be 'dancing' when the shorts are proven wrong.

Key points

Karp calls Palantir the most important software company in America and the world in terms of impact.
He cites a rule of 40 score of 114, US commercial growth of 121%, and aggregate US growth of 77% off a $4.5 billion base.
Karp says short sellers have been wrong about Palantir being overvalued at 10 and at 20.
He references Michael Burry's roughly $912 million short position against Palantir and Nvidia, framing it as a bet against AI.
Karp alleges the short sellers' behavior may be market manipulation and questions whether Burry is trying to exit his position.
He compares a rule of 114 to an Olympic-grade score, saying 50 to 70 is already elite like Michael Phelps or Michael Jordan.
Karp argues most GDP growth in the country is because of AI and the real question is growing worker-available GDP.
He says shorting is fine in theory, but critics should pick a target not doing a 'noble task.'
Karp claims Palantir has been right on all major decisions for almost 20 years, focused on creating unfair advantages for America and its allies.

Questions it answers

00:00Short sellers under fire

Why is Alex Karp so angry at short sellers?

Karp says short sellers are attacking the most important software company in America and questioning the AI revolution just to make money. He finds it triggering that they target a company that supports war fighters and helps average people, and says it motivates Palantir to produce better numbers partly to make the shorts poorer.

Karp calls Palantir the most important software company in America and the world.
He says shorting Palantir is 'crazy motivating' for the company.

01:18Persuasive versus right

How does Karp frame Palantir's track record?

He says you must ask whether someone is persuasive or actually right, and claims Palantir has been right on all major decisions for almost 20 years. Palantir's focus is pragmatic decisions that create unfair advantages for America and its allies.

Karp contrasts being persuasive with being right.
He claims Palantir has been right for almost 20 years on all major decisions.

01:58Defending the valuation

What numbers does Karp use to defend Palantir's value?

He cites a rule of 114, US commercial growth of 121%, aggregate US growth of 77%, anomalous free cash flow, and full alignment with customers, off a $4.5 billion aggregate base. He challenges critics to find any comparable company and notes shorts thought Palantir was overvalued at 10 and at 20.

Rule of 114, 121% US commercial growth, 77% US aggregate growth.
Karp compares the score to Michael Phelps or Michael Jordan levels.

02:37Michael Burry's bet

What does Karp say about Michael Burry's short position?

Burry put on a $912 million short, which Karp reads as a bet against AI via Palantir and Nvidia, with Palantir the biggest position. Karp suspects market manipulation and suggests Burry may be trying to exit his position without looking like a fool.

The short is roughly $912 million.
Karp alleges possible market manipulation.

04:35Experts versus retail

What broader critique does Karp make about society?

He describes a tale of two cities between experts and retail, criticizing newspapers and misplaced sympathy for experts like short sellers. He argues most GDP growth is because of AI and the real question is how to grow worker-available GDP.

Karp criticizes sympathy for experts who don't need it.
He says the key societal question is worker-available GDP.

Notes

Karp's reaction to short sellers

Karp says short sellers attacking Palantir, "clearly the most important software company in America and therefore in the world," are simply trying to make money and calling the AI revolution into question.
He finds it "super triggering" that they picked the company that supports war fighters and has "made money for the average person."
He says the attacks are motivating: every time shorts target Palantir, the company triples down on producing better numbers, "part honestly to make them poorer."

Persuasive versus right

Karp says the key question, also raised in his biography, is whether a person is persuasive or actually right.
He argues Palantir is about pragmatic decisions creating unfair advantages for America and its allies, and has been right on all major decisions for almost 20 years.

Valuation defense

Critics thought Palantir was overvalued at 10 and at 20.
Karp challenges anyone to find a company with a rule of 114, US commercial growing at 121%, aggregate US growth of 77%, anomalous free cash flow, and full customer alignment.
He compares a rule of 114 to an Olympic-grade score, noting 50 to 70 is already elite, like Michael Phelps or Michael Jordan.
He cites 121% growth off almost a $1.5 billion US commercial run rate and 77% US growth off an aggregate base of $4.5 billion, and says he predicted the company would get here.

Michael Burry's short position

Michael Burry put on a nearly billion-dollar short — $912 million — which Karp reads as a short on AI, targeting Palantir and Nvidia, with Palantir the biggest position.
Karp suspects market manipulation and suggests Burry may be trying to get out of his position without looking like a fool.

Broader societal critique

Karp describes a "tale of two cities" between experts and retail, criticizing newspapers and sympathy for experts who don't need it.
He argues most GDP growth in the country is because of AI, and the real question is how to grow worker-available GDP.
He calls the shorts' behavior egregious and says he will be "dancing around" when it is proven wrong.

Text from the video's own captions. Summary and notes written by AI from the transcript, so check anything important against the recording.