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TLDR:
- The Pentagon is expanding Palantir’s AI-powered Maven Smart System with a new contract worth up to $480 million, allowing the system to go from ‘hundreds’ of users to ‘thousands’ worldwide.
- Maven Smart System pulls together data from various sources, including satellites, social media, and readiness reports, to provide military planners with a customizable interface.
Evolved from JAIC’s controversial Project Maven, Palantir’s Maven Smart System is being expanded through a five-year contract with the Pentagon. This expansion, with a potential value of $480 million, will increase the system’s user base from ‘hundreds’ to ‘thousands’ globally. Maven pulls together data from multiple sources and provides military planners with a customizable interface for a more efficient decision-making process.
The system is currently accessible to an elite group at US headquarters worldwide and to certain Combatant Commands, and the new contract will eliminate the limit on maximum permitted users. The contract also includes options to expand access to other Combatant Commands and add new capabilities. Palantir is actively working with smaller firms and subcontractors to integrate their innovations into the system, using an ‘open architecture’ design to allow for easy integration of updates and new features. The company has also been focusing on data integration and cleaning to enhance the system’s performance.
Originally part of Project Maven, which was launched in 2017 to use AI algorithms for target identification, Palantir’s Maven system has evolved to become a key tool for military planners. The latest contract with Palantir is a ‘sole source’ award, indicating that no other company was deemed capable of meeting the Pentagon’s requirements for the system.
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