United to win: American tech company partners with Ukraine to deploy artificial intelligence for landmine clearance
Artificial intelligence will be involved in demining the Ukrainian territory. An American technology company will help implement the planned strategy.
The Ministry of Economy reported this on its website.
What is the problem?
In September 2023, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal announced that Ukraine still has approximately 174,000 square kilometers of land that could potentially contain mines. According to the Prime Minister's emphasis, this vast territory will require extensive demining efforts that could span several decades. Despite this challenge, Ukraine remains committed to completing the demining process shortly.
In February 2024, Serhii Reva, who leads the humanitarian demining department at the State Emergency Service, announced that their specialists had successfully decreased the potential contamination of explosive objects by 18,000 square kilometers. This brings the current affected area to 156,000 square kilometers, accounting for approximately 25% of the state.
According to the Ministry of Defense, 287 civilians, including 15 children, were killed as a result of the detonation, including 15 children, and another 641 people were injured, including 77 minors.
What is the solution?
Artificial intelligence will help in the humanitarian demining of Ukraine's territory.
This will be made possible by collaborating with Ukraine's Ministry of Economy and the American corporation Palantir.
"Thanks to artificial intelligence, we will analyze big data to make quality decisions, set priorities, understand needs and what resources should be involved to demine Ukrainian lands faster. In particular, the system will be able to analyze data on potentially mined territories, connect them with data from additional sources, for example, about objects of social or critical infrastructure, and to form options for more priority ways of demining," the Minister of Economy of Ukraine Yulia Svyrydenko said.
How does it work?
The Ukrainian ministry and the technology company signed the partnership agreement in London.
It is noted that it contains specific provisions for cooperation in the following areas:
Digitization of humanitarian demining operations, automation of processes provided for by the National Mine Action Strategy for the period up to 2033;
- expanding digital capabilities for coordination of land clearance and assessment, regional prioritization, and risk management in mine action;
- using an assistant based on the Palantir artificial intelligence platform (AIP) for decision-making in mine countermeasures.
As the department explained, the AI platform will work with large databases formed by all participants in the demining process — from local self-government bodies, regional authorities, ministries, and agencies to mine action operators.
The databases will contain both permanent information, for example, an assessment of the economic efficiency of agricultural land, the proximity of contaminated areas to communications, etc., and operational information, which will be regularly updated.
Specifically, it concerns the survey results for the State Emergency Service, State Security Service, and non-governmental operators, including data on equipment quantity and condition and the presence of pyrotechnic units in specific regions.
For instance, the Palantir AIP is anticipated to offer guidance on the most efficient way to clear a designated region, whether through modern drones or more conventional approaches. Ultimately, the department aims to expedite territory clearance and reduce expenses.
Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko emphasized that 156,000 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory are potentially contaminated.
"Acceleration of humanitarian demining, in particular thanks to cooperation with technology companies such as Palantir, is an opportunity to save people's lives and start rebuilding Ukraine faster," Svyrydenko said.
For reference:
As reported, Ukrainian developers from the Brave1 cluster are creating an innovative technology that consists of demining territories with the help of artificial intelligence.
It should be noted that the State Special Transport Service received the DOK-ING MV-10 demining system. The equipment was handed over by the high representative of the EU, Josep Borrell.
In addition, Western-style robotic systems for demining will be manufactured in Ukraine.
