Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt stressed that artificial intelligence-powered drones represent the future of warfare while emphasizing the crucial need for human oversight to prevent autonomous weapons from operating independently.
What Happened: Speaking to PBS on Friday, Schmidt called the traditional deployment of armed forces on battlefields "antiquated" and outlined his vision for AI-networked drone warfare with "meaningful human control."
"The correct model, and obviously war is horrific, is to have the people well behind and have the weapons well up front, and have them networked and controlled by AI," Schmidt said. "The future of war is AI, networked drones of many different kinds."
Schmidt's comments come as his drone startup White Stork supplies Ukraine with unmanned aircraft in its conflict with Russia. At a Stanford lecture in August, Schmidt acknowledged his transition to becoming a "licensed arms dealer" through the venture.
In 2018, thousands of Google employees protested the company's involvement in Project Maven, a Pentagon AI program potentially enhancing drone strike targeting, arguing it contradicts Google's "Don't Be Evil" ethos and risks damaging its brand, according to The New York Times.
Why It Matters: The push for AI warfare capabilities has gained urgency amid growing concerns about U.S. military readiness. In a previous Foreign Affairs article, Schmidt and former Joint Chiefs Chairman Mark Milley warned that American forces remain unprepared for drone-dominated conflicts, particularly against potential adversaries like China and Russia.
Mike Waltz, President-elect Donald Trump's national security adviser pick, warned Sunday on CBS News' Face the Nation about "gaps in our agencies" amid mysterious drone sightings across multiple U.S. states. He advocated expanding Israel's Iron Dome concept to include drone defense capabilities.
Elon Musk, Trump's choice to co-lead the Department of Government Efficiency, strongly criticized traditional military programs, particularly Lockheed Martin Corp.'s F-35 fighter jets. "Meanwhile, some idiots are still building manned fighter jets like the F-35," Musk posted on X while sharing footage of synchronized drone swarms.
