Cleveland-Cliffs deploys Palantir AI across steelmaking operations
Cleveland-Cliffs will embed Palantir Technologies' AI platform across its flat-rolled steel manufacturing footprint under a three-year partnership announced Tuesday. The company plans to integrate the technology into production planning, order entry, and operational workflows across its U.S. facilities to coordinate activities in real time.
CEO Laurenco Goncalves said the partnership will shift the company "from human-experience-driven planning toward a new and enhanced AI-assisted, decision-making system that scales with the complexity of our operations."
What this means for operations
The deployment addresses a core challenge in manufacturing: integrating data across multiple sites to anticipate constraints before they disrupt production. Cleveland-Cliffs operates 32 steelmaking sites in North America, mostly in the Midwest.
Goncalves said Palantir's platform was selected after a pilot program demonstrated its capability to improve how operations and commercial teams coordinate. "After completing our pilot work with Palantir, it became clear they were the platform of choice to take our business into the future," he said.
The company did not disclose details about where or how long the pilot ran before committing to the three-year agreement.
Broader adoption in manufacturing
Cleveland-Cliffs is not alone. Manufacturers across sectors are adopting AI to reduce costs and maintain competitiveness as production becomes more data-driven. Boeing began using Palantir's AI software across its defense, space, and security programs and factories in September 2025.
Palantir, founded in 2003 as a software provider for U.S. intelligence agencies, released its commercial AI platform in 2023. The Denver-based company's offering allows customers to connect generative AI models with their operational data.
Context
Cleveland-Cliffs reported first-quarter 2026 revenue of $4.9 billion, up $600 million from the previous quarter, driven partly by increased domestic demand and fewer steel imports entering the U.S. market due to tariffs.
The company is also negotiating a labor agreement with the United Steelworkers union in the coming months.
Operations professionals implementing similar AI systems may benefit from understanding how to evaluate and integrate these platforms into existing workflows. Resources on AI for Operations and the AI Learning Path for Operations Managers cover the practical considerations for these deployments.
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