Palantir Begins Delivery of New TITAN Systems
Matthew Gupta
Tech Editor
As the world continues to shift towards technological advancements, one of the industries not often mentioned is the defense industry. However, as a highly consequential industry, America’s military-industrial complex has developed powerful and robust technology for the United States Department of Defense. One of the newer players in the space, Palantir Technologies, recently completed and sent out its first two AI powered intelligence systems, marking a new age in warfare for the US.
The Tactical Intelligence Targeting Access Node, as it is named by Palantir, is an intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance system built for military applications. Using artificial intelligence and machine learning, TITAN processes data “from Space, High Altitude, Aerial, and Terrestrial layers” and amalgamates the data onto one integrated system, according to a US Army press release. This means intelligence from drones, satellites, and informants combined and optimized on one system. AI algorithms can look at historical data, identify patterns with new intelligence, and use those patterns to identify threats or targets with help from intelligence sources, which can then be acted on by soldiers on the ground. The TITAN system also possesses mobility, allowing the system to be deployed closer to the field of combat.
Palantir received the contract in March 2024 for $178 million, which committed the company to produce 10 TITAN systems. However, development for the system started in 2020, when the Army first stated its needs for improvements in military intelligence. This was seen as crucial to modernizing the US Army’s operations, as it has looked to integrate its various data sources into one system, allowing commanders to make quick decisions in the rapidly changing wars of the world. To develop the technology, Palantir partnered with other major military contractors, including Andruil Industries, Northrop Grumman, and L3Harris Technologies.
Palantir Technologies is not solely a defense contractor, however. The company is a software and data analytics company based out of Denver, Colorado. Founded by Stanford alums Peter Thiel, Stephen Cohen, Joe Lonsdale, and current CEO Alex Carp, the company has grown to a current market cap of $207 billion since its founding in 2003. The company has the mission to power “real-time, AI-driven decisions in critical government and commercial enterprises”, reflecting its focus on data analytics in both civilian and military applications.
The launch of this system and others like it mark a new age in warfare, marked by the integration of artificial intelligence on the battlefield. One possibly controversial aspect of combat that will likely be promoted more is the use of unmanned vehicles on the ground and in the air. These will not only be used for reconnaissance, enhancing the capabilities of TITAN, but the information can also be used by UAVs and UGVs to neutralize threats. While this will allow for targets to be eliminated without putting soldiers in harm’s way, there is also an ethical dilemma about the possibility of “fully autonomous kill decisions”, where targets are eliminated without human input.
The ethics on both sides of whether it is morally ok to end a human life based on an algorithm to ensure that other humans can be saved from the dangers of war is an endless debate, but the significant advantage a military can receive from a vast amount of information analyzed by artificial intelligence will separate global powers from regional players. As Palantir continues to ship out the rest of its TITAN systems, the United States will continue to secure itself as a major player in the use of artificial intelligence for military applications.
Contact Matthew at matthew.gupta@student.shu.edu