The Rise of AI Drones in Modern Warfare

Eric Schmidt, once at the helm of Google, asserts that U.S. defense strategy would be more effective by replacing tanks with AI drones.

At the Future Investment Initiative in Saudi Arabia, Schmidt remarked:

The U.S. has thousands of tanks stored somewhere. Give them away. Buy a drone instead

Eric Schmidt’s startup is making strides in kamikaze drone technology, with Ukraine becoming a key market for his company’s products as it defends itself against russian forces. 

Eric Schmidt Source: WIRED

The entrepreneur highlights the Ukrainian battlefield as a case in point.

He explains that affordable drones, each costing around $5,000, have been successfully destroying expensive military assets, such as $5 million tanks.

We’ve shared that Ukrainian Armed Forces are deploying long-range drones to target the aggressor’s oil infrastructure. One notable instance was the strike on the Ryazan refinery, positioned 500 kilometers inside the opposing territory. This success was enabled by equipping long-range drones with AI technology, allowing them to navigate the terrain effectively and evade electronic warfare systems.

Schmidt points out that Ukraine has skillfully deployed drones to counter russia’s numerical advantage, while Israel’s military, confronting Hamas, already employs AI-powered targeting systems and unmanned aerial vehicles.

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Schmidt also remarked that throughout the Russo-Ukrainian war, both sides have adapted their drone strategies, each seeking to bring tech innovations to the battlefield.

Eric predicts that innovations in warfare will soon render tanks, artillery, and mortars almost useless on the battlefield. 

Still, he’s uncertain about how quickly Western defense systems can adjust to such technological shifts.

Formerly a U.S. defense tech advisor, Schmidt’s expertise lay in facilitating communication between Silicon Valley and government sectors. He led both the Defense Innovation Board and the National Security Commission on AI, which issued its recommendations to Congress on AI’s role in defense in 2021.