France’s domestic intelligence agency, the Direction Générale de la Sécurité Intérieure (DGSI), is replacing its data analysis software from U.S.-based Palantir Technologies with a domestic alternative called ArgonOS, developed by French company ChapsVision (Berthelot, 2026; EUToday Correspondents, 2026). The transition is part of a broader French government initiative to reduce reliance on foreign technology and build sovereign artificial intelligence and data infrastructure (AFP, 2026).
The decision to transition to ArgonOS was announced by French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu on June 16, 2026 (Berthelot, 2026). Lecornu stated that France must avoid “strategic dependencies” in the digital sphere and should not rely on tools developed by foreign powers (Leonard, 2026). The announcement coincided with the government pledging an additional €655 million in funding for domestic AI development, which includes deploying an AI assistant powered by French startup Mistral AI for civil servants (Stanciuc, 2026; Ynet News, 2026). The move followed a decision by the United States to restrict foreign access to Anthropic’s Fable AI model, an event Lecornu cited as demonstrating the risk of relying on partners capable of cutting off access to technology (AFP, 2026; AI Weekly, 2026).
The DGSI has utilized Palantir’s Gotham platform since 2016, initially adopting it following the November 2015 terrorist attacks in Paris to process intelligence data (Ynet News, 2026). At the time, French officials described the use of the U.S. system as a temporary measure until a domestic solution was viable (Ynet News, 2026). In December 2025, Palantir announced a three-year renewal of its contract with the DGSI (Palantir Technologies, 2025). Palantir has confirmed that this renewed contract remains in force and its tools will continue to be used during the transition period to ChapsVision’s system, a process expected to take several years to complete without disrupting operations (EUToday Correspondents, 2026; Ynet News, 2026).
ChapsVision, founded in 2019 by entrepreneur Olivier Dellenbach, developed the ArgonOS platform to process and analyze massive quantities of heterogeneous data (Stanciuc, 2026; ChapsVision, 2026). The company participated in a competitive dialogue launched by the DGSI in 2021 for the OTDH project (Outil de Traitement des Données Hétérogènes). ChapsVision won the first lot for data preparation in late 2024 and the second lot for data modeling and visualization in June 2026 (ChapsVision, 2026). The company reported revenue of approximately €200 million in 2025 (Ynet News, 2026).
The French transition mirrors similar procurement decisions in other European nations. In May 2026, Germany’s domestic intelligence agency, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), also selected ChapsVision’s ArgonOS over Palantir software (Schlung, 2026). The BfV decision was reported by German media outlets WDR, NDR, and Süddeutsche Zeitung, and BfV President Sinan Selen had stated in December 2025 that his agency intended to rely on European alternatives to Palantir (Schlung, 2026). Full deployment of ArgonOS at the BfV is contingent on passage of a planned German intelligence-law reform that would expand the agency’s digital powers and revise data retention rules (Schlung, 2026).
In the United Kingdom, the government has been reviewing a £330 million NHS contract with Palantir following concerns raised by members of parliament and patient groups over access to identifiable patient data (Leonard, 2026). London’s mayor also blocked a proposed partnership between Palantir and the Metropolitan Police on procurement and value-for-money grounds (Ynet News, 2026). The UK Parliament’s Science, Innovation and Technology Committee stated that reliance on a small number of U.S.-based providers represents “a clear vulnerability” that could leave public services “at the mercy of foreign actors” (AFP, 2026).
The following table summarizes the key facts of the DGSI-Palantir-ChapsVision transition:
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Agency | Direction Générale de la Sécurité Intérieure (DGSI), France |
| Platform being replaced | Palantir Gotham |
| Replacement platform | ArgonOS by ChapsVision |
| Palantir relationship start | 2016 (post-November 2015 Paris attacks) |
| Palantir contract last renewed | December 2025 (three-year term) |
| OTDH procurement launched | 2021 |
| ChapsVision won Lot 1 (data preparation) | Late 2024 |
| ChapsVision won Lot 2 (modeling/visualization) | June 2026 |
| Transition timeline | Multi-year; Palantir tools to remain active during transition |
| Announced by | Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, June 16, 2026 |
| Accompanying investment | €655 million in domestic AI development |
| ChapsVision founder | Olivier Dellenbach |
| ChapsVision founded | 2019 |
| ChapsVision 2025 revenue | ~€200 million |
| Germany BfV decision | Selected ArgonOS over Palantir, May 2026 |
References
AFP. (2026, June 16). French spies drop AI giant Palantir over US overreliance fears. The Local France. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260616/french-spies-drop-ai-giant-palantir-over-us-overreliance-fears
AI Weekly. (2026, June 16). France DGSI Drops Palantir, Pledges €655M AI Fund. AI Weekly. https://aiweekly.co/alerts/france-dgsi-drops-palantir-pledges-655m-ai-fund
Berthelot, B. (2026, June 16). French Security Service to Replace Palantir With Local Firm. Bloomberg. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-06-16/french-security-service-to-replace-palantir-with-local-software
ChapsVision. (2026, June 16). ChapsVision chosen by France to deploy Argonos for OTDH project. ChapsVision. ChapsVision chosen by France to deploy Argonos for OTDH project - ChapsVision
EUToday Correspondents. (2026, June 17). France Moves Away From Palantir in Test of Europe’s Digital Sovereignty. EU Today. https://eutoday.net/france-moves-away-from-palantir/
Leonard, J. (2026, June 18). France shifts away from Palantir, towards ‘AI sovereignty’. Computing. France shifts away from Palantir, towards ‘AI sovereignty’
Palantir Technologies. (2025, December 15). Palantir Announces Renewal of Multi-Year Contract with the DGSI. Palantir Investors. Palantir IR
Schlung, A. (2026, May 15). Germany’s spy agency picks French AI firm over Palantir. Politico Europe. Germany’s spy agency picks French AI firm over Palantir – POLITICO
Stanciuc, A.-M. (2026, June 16). France’s intelligence service is dropping Palantir for a homegrown rival. The Next Web. France’s intelligence service is dropping Palantir for a homegrown rival
Ynet News. (2026, June 18). France moves to cut Palantir ties in tech sovereignty push. Ynet News. France moves to cut Palantir ties in tech sovereignty push
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