Palantir Technologies Inc. (PLTR) has been awarded a substantial $100 million contract to broaden the reach of its artificial intelligence targeting tools among U.S. military personnel, enhancing their access to the company’s digital warfare platform.
The platform, referred to as the Maven Smart System, enables the simultaneous visualization of battlefield data on thousands of screens. It utilizes U.S. intelligence information and integrates computer-vision algorithms and AI software from various companies to help decipher complex situations and identify adversaries. This year, the U.S. military has employed the system to assist in pinpointing targets for air strikes in the Middle East, as reported by Bloomberg.
Shannon Clark, the head of defense growth at Palantir, stated that the contract will make the Maven Smart System available to all five branches of the U.S. military — the Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, and Space Force — thereby expanding its reach to tens of thousands more service members.
Previously, access to the system had been limited to selected units in specific areas, Clark explained. In May, Palantir secured a $480 million contract to extend the Maven Smart System to combatant commands, which manage military operations in designated regions.
Launched in 2017, Maven is a collaborative effort involving multiple contractors and AI providers, primarily overseen by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. Although the Defense Department has disclosed limited information regarding Maven’s operational use, Bloomberg has indicated that the U.S. has relied on it for targeting support in Ukraine and for operations in Yemen, Iraq, and Sudan.
U.S. defense officials have supported the department’s utilization of computer vision and machine-learning algorithms for targeting decisions, asserting that ultimately, human judgment dictates battlefield actions. However, some experts caution that this reliance on technology might lead operators to place excessive trust in automated systems. Recently, a U.N. advisory panel urged countries to restrict military applications of AI to mitigate the risk of human rights abuses and prevent a new arms race.
The Defense Department announced the contract on Wednesday, stating that the Palo Alto, California-based company will provide user licenses for its Maven Smart System AI tool, along with necessary software support and hardware, with a maximum contract value of $99.8 million.
According to Clark, intelligence analysts, operators, and other military personnel in remote locations will now be able to access the system, allowing real-time connection of battlefield data with Pentagon headquarters.
While a spokesperson for the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency declined to comment on the contract, they mentioned that the NGA is actively working to extend the Maven system to all military services and commands.
Both Maven and the Maven Smart System are vital components of an ongoing Pentagon initiative aimed at integrating military sensors and weapon systems globally, a goal that remains unfulfilled. The NGA spokesperson noted that their agency is collaborating closely with the Pentagon’s chief digital and AI office on this endeavor.
