- Palantir Technologies Inc (NYSE:PLTR) engaged the former head of artificial intelligence at the digital wing of Britain’s National Health Service as it looks to sign a lucrative new contract with the U.K. government, Bloomberg reports.
- Indra Joshi quit as director of AI for NHSX in March, saying it was “time to take a break before moving on to my next challenge.”
- Palantir is vying for a £240 million ($313 million) U.K. contract to manage datasets for the NHS dealing with a new Federated Data Platform to deliver “transformational improvements across the NHS.”
- Also Read: Activists Launch Campaign Against Palantir’s NHS Collaboration: CNBC
- The government has already run into trouble over its relationship with Palantir after handing Palantir a £23 million contract to run the NHS Covid-19 Data Store, which gave the firm access to patient records.
- Privacy campaigners prosecuted the government, saying the arrangement broke transparency rules.
- As head of AI at NHSX, Joshi signed contracts and oversaw a £140 million grant program to fund private companies developing AI to improve diagnostics in areas like breast cancer. The grants come with special access to NHS patient datasets.
- Analyst Rating: RBC Capital analyst Rishi Jaluria upgraded Palantir from Underperform to Sector Perform and raised the price target from $9 to $12 (6.8% downside).
- Price Action: PLTR shares traded higher by 0.90% at $12.91 on the last check Thursday.
