Helsing launches European alternative to Palantir’s military AI

Helsing, a German defence technology company, has unveiled Clarity, a military AI platform it presents as a European alternative to US providers such as Palantir. The launch matters because Ukraine’s battlefield data is becoming valuable for developing military AI, raising questions over who controls the data and technology built from it.

Helsing says Clarity uses hundreds of specialised AI agents to analyse satellite images, drone footage, signals and written reports, identify potential targets and prepare information for weapons systems; human operators must approve each target and handover. The company says the software and models are developed in Europe and run on infrastructure owned by customers. NATO uses Palantir’s Maven Smart System, while Ukraine has used Palantir for intelligence analysis and strike planning; Ukraine’s Avengers Labs holds more than five million annotated battlefield frames, and Kyiv is beginning to share data with partners under controlled arrangements.