Palantir's CEO says 'every single system is parasitic.' His solution is to hire teenagers. (www.businessinsider.com)

Palantir opened applications for the second cohort of its Meritocracy Fellowship, a NYC-based, months-long paid internship (Aug–Dec 2026, $5,400/mo) that recruits 18-year-old high-school grads as an alternative to college. The first cohort drew 500+ applicants and yielded 22 fellows, with "more than a handful" expected to receive full-time offers. The program combines humanities-style seminars and guest lectures (including OpenAI CRO Bob McGrew and Yale’s Edward Wittenstein) with placement onto customer-facing and software engineering teams where fellows do the day-to-day work of full-time employees. For the AI/ML community this is notable as a deliberate talent pipeline bypassing traditional degrees: interviews emphasize coding ability plus "technical process, high agency, and maturity," and Palantir says many fellows’ coding skills rival or exceed those of post‑undergrad hires. That signals a shift in how top companies source and train technical talent, potentially pressuring universities and altering early-career norms. It also raises practical questions about onboarding, mentorship, and exposure to sensitive domains (Palantir’s defense and national‑security work) for younger recruits. For AI teams looking to scale, the model highlights the value of intensive, employer-run training that blends critical thinking coursework with immediate applied engineering experience.