The choice from the NATO alliance is in part a response to China's increasing abilities with AI military capabilities, according to the Financial Times. The Maven Smart System from Palantir uses generative AI in order to provide “commanders with a secure, common operational capability” and will be used for the alliance's operations, NATO said earlier this week.
The “battle space management systems” equip 20-50 military personnel to do the work that would have needed hundreds to accomplish in years past, such as in the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. “It’s able to take the place of entire teams doing these rather dull tasks,” analyst at Royal United Services Institute Noah Sylvia told reporters.
NATO is ramping up its defense technology capabilities with the acquisition of the system from Palantir and the contract with the company took only six months to complete. The Maven Smart System is expected to be up and running in only 30 days.
“The fact that it was procured in six months is insane by defense standards,” Sylvia added. “It typically takes years by the time that software is procured, certified, and then deployed. And by then it’s typically out of date.”
The purchase of the system “demonstrat[es] a strong and abiding partnership between the North American and European technology base," NATO said in a statement. The exact financial figures for the contract were not disclosed, but it is expected to be the largest contract for Palantir in 2025. Thiel has been a big backer of President Donald Trump and also played a large role in getting JD Vance selected as the Vice President.
The system uses satellites in order to speed up attacks using information acquired from the battlefield. The identification of targets is also much easier with the tech from Palantir.
“We’re proud to support NATO's drive to bolster deterrence by deploying an AI-enabled warfighting platform,” said Palantir senior counselor Shon Manasco. "This partnership underlines the alliance’s determination to lead fearlessly with technological innovation."
