The war in Ukraine continues, and while we often hear about military actions, it seems that behind the scenes the country is developing into the world’s technical R&D laboratory.
A report from Time claims that Palantir Technologies has integrated its software into the Ukrainian government’s daily operations, using AI to analyze data from various sources, giving commanders military options.
This technology has not only been used for battlefield intelligence; it also helps collect evidence of war crimes, clear landmines, resettle refugees and root out corruption.
Building a technology sector
Palantir isn’t the only tech company helping Ukraine. Microsoft, Amazon, Google and Starlink have all contributed to the country’s defense, protecting against cyber attacks, migrating crucial government data to the cloud and maintaining connectivity.
Clearview AI, a controversial facial recognition company, has made its tools available to Ukrainian officials, who have used it to identify the Russian presence on their territory.
Cooperation between foreign tech companies and the Ukrainian armed forces is leading to a new breed of experimentation in military AI, says Time, marking a significant change in the nature of warfare. While some view the deployment of AI tools with skepticism, Ukraine and its private sector allies are playing a longer game: creating a war laboratory for the future.
The potential global consequences of this are enormous. In conflicts involving software and AI, technology companies could wield significant power as independent actors. This could lead to breakthroughs that ignore legal, ethical or regulatory standards, and these new tools risk falling into the hands of adversaries.
Ukraine has been working to build a technology sector that could not only help win the war but also serve as a pillar of its economy in the future. Technology CEOs, defense conferences and business summits are being targeted with the message that Ukraine is open for business. The response was positive: investors launched funds to invest in Ukrainian startups and defense technology companies that settled in Kiev.
However, the use of tools from companies like Palantir and Clearview raises complicated questions about when and how to use invasive technology in wartime, and how far privacy rights should extend. Despite these concerns, Ukraine continues to act as a living laboratory for AI-based systems, marking a significant shift in the nature of warfare.