Anduril building $1 billion factory to churn out autonomous weapons and vehicles
Autonomous-weapons systems startup Anduril announced plans to build a $1 billion “hyperscale” factory in Columbus, Ohio. Named “Arsenal-1,” the sprawling 5 million-square-foot, airport-adjacent factory complex will be optimized for “the mass production of autonomous systems and weapons,” according to the company’s press release. The company said the factory is expected to create 4,000 jobs.
Anduril, founded by Palmer Luckey in 2017 after selling his Oculus VR startup to Facebook (Meta) in 2014, is a big player in the emerging group of “defense technology” companies currently pitching the US government on ways to bring AI to the battlefield. The startup is backed by Peter Thiel, and is currently valued at $14 billion.
Recently a wave of AI companies have leaned into defense. Palantir has partnered with AI startup Anthropic to include its AI models for national-security applications, and OpenAI and Meta have both started pitching their AI platforms for use in defense.
A group of tech companies including Anduril, Palantir, OpenAI, and SpaceX have partnered up in an effort to compete against legacy defense-industry giants Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and RTX.
Anduril, founded by Palmer Luckey in 2017 after selling his Oculus VR startup to Facebook (Meta) in 2014, is a big player in the emerging group of “defense technology” companies currently pitching the US government on ways to bring AI to the battlefield. The startup is backed by Peter Thiel, and is currently valued at $14 billion.
Recently a wave of AI companies have leaned into defense. Palantir has partnered with AI startup Anthropic to include its AI models for national-security applications, and OpenAI and Meta have both started pitching their AI platforms for use in defense.
A group of tech companies including Anduril, Palantir, OpenAI, and SpaceX have partnered up in an effort to compete against legacy defense-industry giants Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and RTX.
