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- AI is reshaping military strategies, according to Eric Schmidt.
- The United States military requires significant reforms to optimize AI integration and uphold its supremacy.
- Schmidt discussed AI’s role in conflicts in Ukraine, Myanmar, Sudan, and Gaza.
Eric Schmidt, the ex-CEO of Google, asserts that artificial intelligence is revolutionizing modern warfare and that reforms within the U.S. military are essential for it to remain competitive on a global scale.
In a comprehensive piece featured in Foreign Affairs, Schmidt collaborates with Mark A. Milley, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Together they discuss an imminent evolution in warfare tactics—already being witnessed in various international hotspots.
The duo highlighted instances where armed forces have utilized AI: Ukrainian troops effectively neutralizing tanks and aircraft; combatants in Myanmar and Sudan deploying algorithms for strategic advantages; and Israel employing AI-driven drones over Gaza.
“Future conflicts won’t hinge merely on troop numbers or superior air power,” they stated. “Rather, victorious outcomes will increasingly rely on autonomous weaponry coupled with advanced algorithmic strategies.”
Despite being home to one of the most advanced militaries worldwide, both authors express concern that the United States is lagging behind technological advancements related to AI. They pointed out that there has been insufficient embrace of artificial intelligence within defense sectors—and called for a “systemic overhaul” as “automation and intelligent systems are set to redefine warfare.”
Spearheading this initiative is Schmidt’s new venture named White Stork. The start-up aims at producing drones capable of utilizing artificial intelligence for target recognition—a move intended to decrease human casualties associated with war efforts globally.
Schmidt’s credentials include years at the forefront spearheading initiatives like his leadership role with the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence while he served as Google’s CEO from 2001 until 2011.
Reflecting on recent events during a discussion at Stanford University, he revealed how witnessing Ukraine’s situation motivated him toward involvement in military technologies; humorously noting his new designation as a “licensed arms dealer.”
“Due to regulatory frameworks surrounding these technologies,” he quipped about his current position alongside being an entrepreneur and technologist: “I find myself categorized paradoxically.”
