the FORMER CEO of Google throws himself into military drones for the Pentagon
According to Forbes, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt is about to start developing secret military drones for the United States. Not much concrete information is available, but the project has been widely described as an initiative to help the US match the capabilities of Chinese drones. The initiative is also thought to focus on developing unmanned aircraft for use on the battlefield.
Drones, drones and drones
By all accounts, Schmidt was greatly influenced by his visits to Ukraine, where he witnessed the effective use of drones in combat. Sebastian Thrun, co-founder of Google's innovation lab, reportedly collaborated with Schmidt on this secret project. Exact details were not disclosed, including the project's timeline and other collaborators.
However, given the delicate geopolitical implications, Schmidt's commitment to keeping the project secret is understandable. Schmidt's involvement in defense technology is unsurprising, given his role as a liaison between Silicon Valley innovations and the Pentagon's needs. His focus on artificial intelligence and its implications for national security reflects his foresight on the future of warfare and defense strategies.
His participation in various government committees as an advisor further underlines his commitment to this cause. Forbes reports that the project was inspired by Ukraine's strategic use of drones against Russian troops.
In addition to this project, Schmidt has invested in Ukrainian military technology through platforms such as the D3 startup accelerator. This new drone project is in line with Schmidt's call to increase US technological investment in the military sector. It could take advantage of the Pentagon's " Replicator" program, which aims to challenge China's dominance in the drone market with the development of new families of autonomous military vehicles.
Replicator is a program which, however, is having implementation problems because the distance between what the armed forces would like and what they are actually obtaining is considerable. In practice, technological ambition is still very far from reality. The goal is to have something that can be produced on a large scale for use similar to that in Ukraine. The project was first announced on August 28, 2023, by Kathleen Hicks, US Deputy Secretary of Defense, during a speech at the National Defense Industrial Association's Emerging Technologies Conference in Washington.
During the conference, Hicks stressed that China's main perceived threat to the United States is the "mass" of its military forces. Or, in other words, the number of ships, planes and personnel the nation can deploy. He also highlighted China's growing proficiency in anti-access or area denial capabilities.
Competing with established drone manufacturers and navigating the complexities of military technology will present significant challenges for Schmidt as he embarks on this ambitious project.
Schmidt has excellent technological knowledge
Eric Schmidt's drone project is shrouded in secrecy, but his experience and knowledge in technology and government could give this venture an edge in shaping future military strategies. The development of this project reflects the trend of technology leaders venturing into defense technology.
Many industry experts believe that, thanks to his background and resources, Schmidt could significantly influence the military drone landscape, potentially changing future combat tactics.
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The article the FORMER CEO of Google throws himself into military drones for the Pentagon comes from Economic Scenarios .
This is a machine translation of a post published on Scenari Economici at the URL https://scenarieconomici.it/lex-ceo-di-google-si-butta-sui-droni-militari-per-il-pentagono/ on Wed, 10 Jan 2024 12:42:05 +0000.