Meta, now a defense contractor
Meta, previously known as Facebook Meta, has entered the defense contracting arena by partnering with Anduril Industries to develop augmented and virtual reality devices for the military. This collaboration comes after Meta dismissed Palmer Luckey, the founder of Anduril, eight years ago.
Luckey initially joined Meta, then known as Facebook, following the acquisition of Oculus in 2014, the virtual reality company he had established. Reports suggest that his departure in 2017 may have been influenced by various factors, including a political donation made in the lead-up to the 2016 presidential election. While some sources indicated that Luckey donated $10,000 to an anti-Hillary Clinton group, others claimed he had faced pressure to publicly support a different candidate.
Following Luckey’s departure, Meta recently made a significant political contribution, donating $1 million to the Trump inaugural fund in December 2024, sparking political discussions and speculation. Despite these events, the goal of Meta’s partnership with Anduril Industries is primarily focused on generating revenue by selling extended reality (XR) products to the military.
XR encompasses virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies, allowing users to experience computer-generated images that blend with the real world. Notably, Meta’s Reality Labs has faced financial challenges, with losses amounting to billions of dollars in recent quarters. Despite these setbacks, Meta has heavily invested in reality technologies and aims to continue its spending in the coming years.
The collaboration between Meta and Anduril Industries aims to integrate their software, hardware, and artificial intelligence expertise to develop innovative tools that can benefit warfighters. By leveraging Anduril’s Lattice platform, a system combining AI with AR/VR interfaces to provide real-time battlefield intelligence, the companies hope to enhance soldiers’ decision-making capabilities in combat scenarios.
The initiative reflects Meta’s commitment to advancing AI and AR technologies, as highlighted by the company’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg. The partnership is expected to contribute to national security by delivering novel mixed reality capabilities that empower servicemembers with enhanced intelligence and perception. Through this collaboration, Meta and Anduril strive to revolutionize the field of defense technology and bring cutting-edge solutions to the forefront of military operations.
Looking ahead, the successful integration of Meta’s technological prowess with Anduril’s military expertise could potentially transform the landscape of defense contracting and redefine the possibilities of augmented and virtual reality applications in the military sector. As the world enters a new era of computing and intelligence, the joint efforts of Meta and Anduril represent a significant step towards harnessing the power of advanced technologies for the benefit of national security and defense operations.