Palantir Sues Ex-Engineers Alleging Theft for Rival AI Startup

Palantir Technologies has filed a lawsuit against two former senior AI engineers, Radha Jain and Joanna Cohen, accusing them of stealing confidential information and proprietary source code to establish a rival AI startup, Percepta, backed by venture capital firm General Catalyst. The lawsuit alleges that Jain and Cohen violated non-compete agreements and misappropriated Palantir’s trade secrets, giving Percepta an illegal head start in developing AI software similar to Palantir's decades-long efforts. The complaint highlights that Percepta has hired numerous former Palantir employees, including its CEO, and that Cohen allegedly sent confidential documents to herself shortly before departing. Palantir describes Percepta as a "copycat competitor" and is seeking court enforcement of contractual agreements and recovery of company property. This legal battle underscores the intense competition and intellectual property challenges between established technology giants and emerging AI startups. The dispute also reflects Palantir's ongoing efforts to protect its proprietary technology amid growing interest and investment in AI solutions for government and commercial clients.