Inside Palantir: Building Software That Matters | Shyam Sankar on a16z

In this conversation, Shyam Sankar, chief technology officer at Palantir Technologies, discusses his new book Mobilize, his commission in the U.S. Army, and why he believes the most important thing America can do right now is inspire its latent heretics to step forward. He also breaks down how he thinks about the SaaS market under AI pressure, what the "alpha versus beta software" distinction means for which companies survive, and why he started a film production company. Timestamps: 00:00 — Introduction 07:53 — Rebuilding the Industrial Base 18:01 — Joining the Army to Modernize 24:20 — The SaaS Apocalypse Debate 29:42 — Agency Over Automation 38:24 — Beating China Without Self Sabotage 40:42 — Film as Cultural Willpower 49:57 — Projects and Rickover Story Read the full transcript here: https://www.a16z.news/s/podcast Resources: Follow Shyam Sankar on X: https://x.com/ssankar Follow Katherine Boyle on X: https://x.com/KTmBoyle Follow Erik Torenberg on X: https://x.com/eriktorenberg Stay Updated: If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to like, subscribe, and share with your friends! Find a16z on X: https://twitter.com/a16z Find a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z Listen to the a16z Show on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5bC65RDvs3oxnLyqqvkUYX Listen to the a16z Show on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a16z-podcast/id842818711 Follow our host: https://x.com/eriktorenberg Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see http://a16z.com/disclosures.