The 404 Media Podcast Here’s What Palantir Is Really Building
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Jan 21, 2026 One intriguing topic explored is Palantir's ELITE tool, which assists ICE in identifying neighborhoods for raids through comprehensive data mapping. The discussion shifts to the rise of AI influencers making scandalous fake images of celebrities, stirring controversy in the digital space. The hosts also delve into the legal implications and potential responses from celebrities like LeBron James as they grapple with defamation in this new era of AI content creation. Additionally, Comic-Con's recent ban on AI art reflects a growing pushback against artificial creations.
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Mapping Neighborhoods To Generate Targets
- Elite is a tool ICE uses to draw geographic shapes on a map and generate lists of people to target.
- It attaches dossier details and an address confidence score to each person for enforcement planning.
Addresses Are Enforcement Gold
- Elite pulls address data from surprising sources like health departments and USCIS.
- The tool uses those sources plus commercial data like Thomson Reuters Clear to compute address confidence scores.
Oregon Raid Reveals Tool In Action
- In an Oregon case, ICE used Elite and mobile Fortify in an October raid that briefly detained MJMA and others.
- Court testimony described using Elite to find densely populated apartment complexes with many potential targets.