Feinberg’s new Maven directive sets AI-enabled decision-making as ‘the cornerstone’ for CJADC2

Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg designated Palantir's Maven Smart System as an official Pentagon program of record in a March 9 memorandum, establishing AI-enabled decision-making as "the cornerstone" of the military's Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control (CJADC2) strategy. The move accelerates MSS integration across the joint force and ensures dedicated funding through the Future Years Defense Program, following a May 2025 contract increase that raised the ceiling to nearly $1.3 billion through 2029. Feinberg also directed the Pentagon's Chief Technology Officer to develop a "CJADC2 Acceleration Plan" that would potentially consolidate MSS under a new CJADC2 Program Office, shifting administrative oversight from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency to the Chief Digital and AI Office. The designation solidifies what was already underway but signals the Trump administration's aggressive push to deploy AI systems faster across military commands. Defense analysts flagged transparency gaps and warned that the transition could blur lines between situational awareness platforms and autonomous command-and-control systems—a "big deal" if MSS begins making targeting decisions without human review.