Meta and Anduril: Revolutionary AI for soldiers in action!

Meta and Anduril: Revolutionary AI for soldiers in action!

On May 30, 2025, the company Meta, led by CEO Mark Zuckerberg, announced a partnership with the military start-up Anduril Industries. Together they are working on advanced, AI-based technologies that are being developed specifically for use on the battlefield. The collaboration aims to expand the possibilities of augmented reality (AR) and artificial intelligence (AI) for soldiers and create modern military applications. Meta plans to integrate these technologies through Anduril's data analytics platform Lattice.

Lattice is described as an AI-powered command and control system that provides real-time information and supports decision-making in combat zones. This platform is intended to aggregate data from thousands of information sources to enable more precise battlefield intelligence. Zuckerberg emphasizes the importance of these technologies by highlighting their potential impact on US competitiveness, particularly compared to China. This strategic direction shows that large technology companies are increasingly targeting military applications.

Technological innovations for soldiers

The partnership between Meta and Anduril also aims to better control autonomous systems on the battlefield. According to Palmer Luckey, one of Anduril's co-founders, many new technologies are needed to prevent combat deaths. “Good virtual reality simulators could prevent most training deaths,” says Luckey, who is also known as the co-founder of Oculus, the VR company that was acquired by Facebook in 2014. The integration of AR and AI in the form of glasses, goggles or visors represents a crucial step in improving soldier training.

The growing involvement of these technology companies in military applications is not least a response to current global security concerns. Analysts expect the market for military AI applications to experience rapid growth over the next five years. These developments come amid an environment where AI is increasingly being used for military decision-making, for example through its ability to detect enemy activity and rely on automated information processing.

Global security situation and AI

The military use of AI is being tested in various conflicts, for example in Ukraine, where AI systems are used to gain advantages in the fight against Russia. A specific AI system called “Guardion – Countering Drones” is already being used to monitor drone attacks. The Bundeswehr has also implemented AI technologies to protect its field camps abroad.

However, there are critical voices about the use of AI-supported weapon systems. Issues such as the complexity of the systems and their need for comprehensive training for soldiers raise questions. Experts and non-governmental organizations are calling for clear guidelines and even bans for fully autonomous weapon systems. With negotiations at the United Nations to regulate combat robots, it is clear that pressure is growing on governments to set clear limits on the use of such technologies. UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called for bans and restrictions by 2026.

In this dynamic and often contentious landscape of military technology, the partnership between Meta and Anduril will continue to be important, particularly in light of the future challenges and opportunities that artificial intelligence presents in the military. The discussion about human control over AI-powered weapon systems remains equally relevant, with many experts emphasizing that ultimately humans must make the decisions about the use of these technologies.

For more information about ongoing developments in military technology, you can read the articles on [Krone] and [TechXplore] as well as [Deutschlandfunk].