Palantir AI Model Will Shape UK Military Strategy, but Experts Warn of Cybersecurity Risks

• A custom-made AI model by U.S. tech firm Palantir will be used within the British military’s Strategic Defense Review.
• The integration of AI into the review has received some criticism.
• The U.K. military has developed a close partnership with Palantir over the years.

The U.K. government will use a U.S.-made AI model to assemble its landmark review of the British military.

The model, developed by U.S. tech company Palantir, marks the first time the government has deployed AI to help with a significant review – and some experts are concerned.

A Major Military AI Review

The Strategic Defense Review was announced by Defense Secretary John Healey shortly after the Labour victory in July.

Healey claimed the British military had been “hollowed out” by the Conservatives and needed a “new era for defense.”

The major review will examine the U.K.’s nuclear deterrent, recruitment in the forces and access to new weapons.

However, most eyes have been focused on Palantir’s involvement in the review.

The military will be using Palantir’s AI model to work through thousands of submissions that it received from arms manufacturers, think tanks and other sections of the military, according to Politico.

The AI model will be deployed to locate key words and provide summaries to Ministry of Defense (MoD) staff. Government officials have called the use of AI a technological innovation that could help boost efficiency in the public sector.

Military and Palantir Draw Criticism

Despite the MoD’s enthusiasm, several concerns have been raised surrounding Palantir’s involvement in the review.

Talking to Politico, an anonymous defense industry figure raised concerns that some firms were trying to “game the system” by repeating specific keywords to ensure the AI model prioritizes their submissions.

Professor Mariarosaria Taddeo, a defense technology ethics academic from Oxford University, told the publication that the use of AI within the review raises cybersecurity concerns.

“Even if the AI is internal to an organization, are we basically creating a huge Trojan horse? AI is really fragile, it can be attacked,” Taddeo said.

Others have called for a stronger emphasis on AI in the British military.

Robert Bassett Cross, CEO of AI software provider Adarga, said that AI needs to be addressed in a cross-government approach as it will be transformative for defense and national security.

“This is not happening currently. Our systems, policies and processes are not sufficient to be successful in our data- and information-driven world,” Cross said in a report.

“Reversing this will not only ensure we have leading military capabilities employing new technologies. The economic and social impacts of prioritizing AI development in the U.K. will be game changing,” he added.

U.K. and Palantir

Over the years, the U.K. military has developed a close partnership with Palantir, with the U.S. tech firm’s software closely integrated into the military’s digital transformation efforts.

In December 2022, Palantir, founded by billionaire Peter Thiel, signed a three-year contract worth $93 million with the MoD.

In 2023, the project won a huge seven-year contract, worth $415 million , to help rebuild the country’s national health service.

The contract drew significant criticism from some privacy groups and members of Parliament over concerns of sensitive data being in the hands of a foreign company.