China’s Palantir? Private tech firms surge into defence AI, aiming to match US giants

The People’s Liberation Army is just a year away from its centenary goals in its evolution into a “world-class” fighting force. In this part of a series

, Amber Wang looks at the growing influence of artificial intelligence in combat and the private firms stepping into the area.

In a post published on its official account on January 6, Jingan suggested the build-up indicated that Washington “may already be in the midst of preparations for a potential military operation” – more than 50 days before the strikes took place.

While industry observers and military enthusiasts have cautioned against Jingan’s high-profile marketing claims, company materials and public disclosures suggest that its software has already been deployed within China’s public security system and state security apparatus, as well as some branches of the military.

Jingan is among a growing number of Chinese private tech firms entering the country’s rapidly expanding defence AI sector, driven by Beijing’s military-civil fusion strategy to integrate private companies into the defence industry.