France is severing a decade-long intelligence partnership with American technology firm Palantir, replacing it with a domestic alternative as part of a broader push for digital sovereignty. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu confirmed on Tuesday that the General Directorate for Internal Security (DGSI) will transition to ChapsVision, a French data analytics company, for handling large-scale data processing.
“We cannot accept new strategic dependencies in the digital sphere,” Lecornu said, arguing that France must build “genuine autonomy” to avoid reliance on partners who might “turn off the tap of access” to artificial intelligence tools. The announcement comes amid heightened European concerns about the reliability of US technology partnerships under the Trump administration.
A Break After Ten Years of Partnership
The decision is surprising given that the DGSI renewed its contract with Palantir as recently as last December for an additional three years. French authorities have not yet detailed the transition timeline or the terms of the switch. Palantir, co-founded by billionaire Peter Thiel with backing from the CIA, provides military-grade, AI-driven data integration tools to governments and corporations. Its collaboration with the DGSI began after the November 2015 Paris attacks, when French intelligence urgently needed to analyse vast amounts of data and turned to Palantir’s Gotham platform, then one of the few systems capable of meeting such demands.
Since the first contract in 2016, followed by renewals in 2019 and 2022, French intelligence chiefs had consistently described the reliance on US technology as temporary, awaiting a credible European alternative. ChapsVision, which had already secured a DGSI contract in 2024 for processing heterogeneous data, now steps into a role historically dominated by Palantir.
Growing Mistrust of US Technology
The shift reflects a broader European reassessment of dependence on American tech. Washington’s unpredictability under President Donald Trump has led allies to question whether decades of US support in security and technology can be taken for granted. Last week, the US ordered AI start-up Anthropic to deny “any foreign national” access to its two most powerful models, Claude Fable 5 and Mythos 5, citing national security. The move sparked warnings from French presidential candidates about an “AI war” and the urgent need for independence.
Earlier this year, the German army announced it would stop using Palantir, while the UK is reviewing a £330 million (€382 million) data contract between the National Health Service and the company after political and parliamentary pressure. London mayor Sadiq Khan also blocked a proposed £50 million contract between Palantir and the Metropolitan Police, citing value-for-money and procurement concerns.
France’s €655 Million AI Investment
Lecornu also unveiled plans to invest €655 million in artificial intelligence, including the rollout of a single chatbot for all government services. France will develop a public health chatbot for the state health insurance agency Ameli, along with a new digital platform to simplify access to public data. For ChapsVision, the DGSI contract marks a major milestone as it aims to become one of Europe’s leaders in data intelligence and agentic AI.
The move aligns with broader European efforts to reduce reliance on non-European technology, particularly in sensitive sectors like security. As the EU considers sanctions on Israeli minister Ben Gvir amid growing pressure, and debates digital taxes that have drawn threats of US tariffs on French wine, the push for digital autonomy is gaining momentum across the continent.
