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NATO has procured an AI-powered military system from U.S. software company Palantir, which is chaired by Peter Thiel, a prominent supporter of Donald Trump and a figure with deep ties to the Pentagon.

The decision comes at a time of heightened concern among European NATO members over the alliance’s future, following Trump’s warnings that the U.S. might scale back its protection of Europe unless member states significantly increase their defense spending. NATO is also seeking to keep pace with military AI advancements by global rivals like China.

Palantir’s Maven Smart System (MSS Nato) uses generative AI, machine learning, and large language models to provide commanders with a secure, unified operational capability, according to NATO. The system will be deployed in support of current NATO operations.

The alliance is accelerating efforts to enhance its technological defense capabilities. The contract with Palantir was finalized in just six months—“one of the most expeditious in NATO’s history,” according to the organization—and the system is expected to become operational within 30 days.

NATO confirmed that the acquisition was completed last month, describing the move as a demonstration of “a strong and abiding partnership between the North American and European technology base.”

While financial details of the agreement were not disclosed, the deal is expected to be among Palantir’s most significant defense contracts of the year.

Peter Thiel, a well-known conservative voice in Silicon Valley, was a major supporter of Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and played a key role in backing Vice President JD Vance’s successful bid to become Trump’s running mate.

Since 2009, Palantir has secured more than $2.7 billion in U.S. government contracts, including over $1.3 billion from the Department of Defense, according to federal data. The company’s stock has risen over 300% in the past year, fueled by expectations that it will benefit from increased defense spending under the Trump administration, as well as growing commercial demand for its AI systems.

The U.S. military already uses its own version of Palantir’s Maven platform, under a $99.8 million, five-year contract signed last September. A similar system has also been deployed in Ukraine.

Maven integrates satellite imagery and other battlefield data, using machine learning to identify targets and accelerate military responses.

Originally launched by the Pentagon in 2017, Project Maven initially relied on Google’s technology. However, Google exited the program in 2018 after internal opposition from thousands of employees who raised concerns about the use of AI in warfare.