Palantir Alleges Ex-Staff Stole Secrets for AI Rival

A US District Court judge has determined that three former Palantir employees likely violated confidentiality and non-solicitation agreements when they co-founded an artificial intelligence startup named Percepta. The ruling supports Palantir's claims, specifically regarding the breach of agreements.

Palantir had sued, alleging that co-founder Hirsh Jain initiated a campaign to recruit Palantir employees after his departure in August 2024. The suit also accused Radha Jain of poaching colleagues and Joanna Cohen of stealing confidential documents.

Despite agreeing that violations likely occurred, US District Judge J. Paul Oetken refused Palantir's request to immediately block the former employees from continuing their work at Percepta. The judge acknowledged that Hirsh and Radha Jain probably violated employee non-solicitation clauses, while Cohen likely breached confidentiality agreements.

Both parties interpreted the decision as a win. Palantir's legal team stated their satisfaction with the injunctions against the defendants, emphasizing accountability for employee poaching and data exfiltration. The defendants' counsel expressed delight that Palantir's core claims, including non-compete arguments, were rejected, allowing the Percepta team to resume work.