DOD’s Maven helps FEMA with Hurricane Helene recovery
As first reported by Defense Scoop’s Mark Pomerleau, DOD has deployed its AI-driven Maven platform as part of Hurricane Helene disaster response. Typically used by combatant commands for battlespace awareness, the system is helping integrate and visualize geospatial data in real-time, aiding logistics and resource distribution for FEMA and the National Guard.
Resulting from Project Maven, the platform saw controversy during its development. In 2018, Google employees concerned about military use of AI revolted, and Google left the project. Maven has since evolved, expanding under Palantir to improve battlefield efficiency and coordination across data sources like drones and satellite imagery
While the technology’s domestic deployment promises improved response times, the use of advanced military AI in civilian contexts have the potential to spawn privacy and surveillance concerns and questions about transparency in data usage.