NATO has purchased Palantir's Maven military artificial intelligence system. The value of the deal was not disclosed. However, it is believed to be one of the American company's most significant defense contracts this year, the Financial Times reports.

What is Palantir's Maven Smart System

The Maven Smart System (MSS Nato) uses generative AI, machine learning, and large-scale language models to support military operations. The system combines information from a variety of sources (satellites, intelligence, etc.), analyzes it, visualizes it for commanders, and provides solutions.

The solution allows 20-50 soldiers to analyze data from the battlefield instead of hundreds or even thousands, as has been the case in Afghanistan and Iraq, for example. "It’s able to take the place of entire teams doing these rather dull tasks," says Noah Sylvia, analyst at the Royal United Services Institute, a London-based think tank.

The U.S. military uses its own version of Maven technology, and last September the US signed a five-year, $99.8 million contract with Palantir. This system is also used in Ukraine, and it showed the Americans how limited the technology is, The New York Times wrote.

NATO's fastest procurement

  • NATO purchased the Palantir AI system in just six months. This is one of the fastest purchases by the alliance in its history, according to one of the representative.
  • The acquisition was completed last month. It demonstrates a close and stable partnership between the North American and European technology communities, the intergovernmental organization said.
  • Palantir will provide NATO with a specialized version of its Maven system, which is essentially a platform for integrating other software applications and data sources.

What is known about Palantir?

Since 2009, Palantir has received more than $2.7 billion in contracts from the U.S. government, including more than $1.3 billion from the Department of Defense. Over the past 12 months, the company's shares have risen more than 300% as investors expect the company to benefit from defense spending by US President Donald Trump's administration and demand from commercial customers for its AI systems.

  • Palantir was co-founded by prominent investor and entrepreneur Peter Thiel, who sold his stake in the company last year for nearly $600 million.
  • He is a Trump supporter and someone with close ties to the Pentagon, and played a key role in backing J.D. Vance during his successful run for vice president.
  • The alliance's deal with Palantir comes amid growing anxiety in Europe after Trump threatened to withdraw from the continent's defense if capitals did not increase defense spending.

In March 2024, Palantir signed an agreement with Ukraine's Ministry of Economy. As part of the deal, the company is providing an AI platform to improve mine clearance. Inga Kolba, project manager for the civilian government of Ukraine, shared more in an interview with Ukrainian office of AIN.