Meta and defense company Anduril team up for cutting-edge battlefield technology collaboration
** Tech Giant Meta and Defense Startup Anduril Partner to Develop XR Gear for Military Use**
New York, NY — Meta Platforms Inc. and defense technology company Anduril Industries have announced a partnership to build mixed-reality gear for soldiers, aimed at controlling autonomous systems on the battlefield.
The partnership will see Meta incorporate augmented reality (AR) and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies into Anduril's data analytics platform, named Lattice. The companies plan to use the technology in glasses, goggles, or visors.
“We are proud to partner with Anduril to help bring these technologies to American servicemembers who protect our interests at home and abroad,” Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s CEO, said in a joint statement.
Since former President Trump's term in office, Zuckerberg has sought closer ties with the administration. These efforts have included frequent visits and changes to Meta's corporate policies on content moderation. Now, this alliance will see Meta participating in courting the American military.
Big tech companies are increasingly emphasizing their support for the U.S. government under Trump's America First agenda. Key players in this wave of nationalism include Meta, OpenAI, and, more predictably, Palantir, the AI defense company founded by conservative tech billionaire Peter Thiel.
Previously, Meta has touted AI models like its own as crucial for winning the AI race against China and ensuring American AI dominance. The partnership with Anduril marks another step in Meta's ambition to integrate advanced XR and AI technologies into military operations.
This collaboration could significantly transform how soldiers interact with and interpret battlefield data. Details of the project are funded privately, using commercial hardware and software to expedite deployment. The partnership is also associated with the U.S. Army's Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS) program, which was renamed Soldier Borne Mission Command Next (SBMC Next). Anduril assumed the IVAS contract from Microsoft and has reportedly brought down software update delivery times.
The devices being developed as part of this partnership are believed to include the EagleEye AR/VR helmet, equipped with Meta's AI models and Reality Labs technologies. The devices will also employ Meta's Llama AI model to improve battlefield intelligence and decision-making capability.
- The collaboration between Meta and Anduril, with the aim of developing mixed-reality gear for soldiers, signifies a growing intersection of technology and politics, as it reflects Meta's increased support for the U.S. government under the America First agenda.
- This partnership, which involves the use of artificial intelligence and augmented reality technologies to transform how soldiers interact with and interpret battlefield data, highlights the role of artificial-intelligence in shaping future political landscapes, particularly within the realm of military operations and general news.
