Microsoft and Palantir Technologies have announced a partnership to deliver AI and analytics capabilities to classified networks used by U.S. defense and intelligence agencies.
Palantir will deploy its suite of products - Foundry, Gotham, Apollo, and AI Platform (AIP) - on Microsoft Azure Government and in the Azure Government Secret (DoD Impact Level 6) and Top Secret clouds. Notably, Palantir will be the first industry partner to deploy Microsoft's Azure OpenAI Service in classified environments.
The integration aims to make it easier for defense and intelligence operators to use Microsoft's large language models, including GPT-4, within Palantir's AI Platform on classified cloud infrastructure. This could enable AI-driven applications across various areas such as logistics, contracting, and mission planning.
Shyam Sankar, Palantir's Chief Technology Officer, emphasized how big a deal this collaboration was for the industry. "Bringing Palantir and Microsoft capabilities to our national security apparatus is a step change in how we can support the defense and intelligence communities," he said.
Deb Cupp, President of Microsoft Americas, emphasized the focus on responsible AI deployment, saying the partnership will "help accelerate the safe, secure, and responsible deployment of advanced AI capabilities for the U.S. government."
While the partnership holds immense promise, the availability of any of these services is contingent upon authorization and accreditation by appropriate government agencies. To encourage adoption, Palantir and Microsoft plan to offer "bootcamp experiences" for defense and intelligence communities to trial the technology.
This partnership builds on both companies' existing relationships with government agencies. It reflects ongoing efforts to adapt AI technologies for national security applications while addressing associated security and ethical considerations.
Disclosure: The author of this article owns shares in Palantir.