Ex-Google CEO wants AI drones in modern warfare, calls tanks ‘useless’

Oct 30

Ryan Robertson Anchor

By Ryan Robertson (Anchor), William Jackson (Producer), Zachary Hill (Video Editor)

Google’s former CEO, Eric Schmidt, has called on the U.S. military to replace its tanks with AI-powered drones, arguing these autonomous technologies offer significant cost and strategic advantages over traditional armored vehicles. Speaking at the Future Investment Initiative conference in Saudi Arabia, Schmidt emphasized drones could eventually render tanks, artillery and mortars obsolete.

Schmidt launched a startup to produce autonomous, GPS-resistant drones. He pointed out the disparity in cost between a drone and a tank.

“A $5,000 drone can destroy a $5 million tank. Give them away, right? Buy drones instead. In fact, buy 10, buy 20, buy 50, buy 100,” Schmidt said.

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Schmidt has a background as a former chair of both the U.S. Defense Innovation Board and the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence. Schmidt has been a longstanding advocate for advancing defense technology.

He has previously suggested that the rapid development of AI could reshape military capabilities as profoundly as nuclear advancements did in the 20th century.

Despite the potential that Schmidt sees in drones, he expressed frustration over what he described as the slow pace of adaptation within Western militaries. He highlighted the rapid innovation observed in the Ukraine-Russia conflict, where both sides have continually updated their drone tactics.

While Schmidt’s views have gained traction, some military analysts urge caution. They argue that traditional weaponry, such as tanks, retains significant value when backed by strong logistics and sound tactical planning.

In Ukraine, tanks remain pivotal, illustrating that while drones bring new capabilities, conventional armored platforms still play a role in modern combat strategies.

Tags: AI, Artificial Intelligence, Drones, Generative AI, Google, GPS, M1 Abrams tanks, Russia, Russia-Ukraine War, saudi arabia, Tanks, Ukraine

[ryan robertson]

GOOGLE’S FORMER CEO SAYS THE US MILITARY NEEDS TO SCRAP ALL OF ITS TANKS AND REPLACE THEM WITH AI-POWERED DRONES.

SPEAKING AT THE FUTURE INVESTMENT INITIATIVE CONFERENCE IN SAUDI ARABIA, ERIC SCHMIDT STRESSED THE COST-EFFECTIVENESS AND STRATEGIC ADVANTAGES OF DRONES OVER TRADITIONAL TANKS IN MODERN WARFARE.

SCHMIDT, WHO FOUNDED A STARTUP TO MANUFACTURE AUTONOMOUS DRONES THAT ARE RESISTANT TO GPS-JAMMING, BELIEVES DRONE WARFARE WILL EVENTUALLY MAKE TANKS, ARTILLERY, AND MORTARS OBSOLETE.

ERIC SCHMIDT
FORMER GOOGLE CEO
“The world has an awful lot of Tanks those tanks are largely useless now. Those tanks are largely useless now. A $5,000 drone can destroy a $5 million tank. I read somewhere that the US had thousands and thousands of Tanks stored somewhere. Give them away, right, buy a drone instead in fact buy 10 buy 20 buy 50 buy 100.”

AS FORMER CHAIR OF THE U.S. DEFENSE INNOVATION BOARD AND NATIONAL SECURITY COMMISSION ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, SCHMIDT HAS LONG ADVOCATED FOR TECH ADVANCEMENT IN DEFENSE.

HE SAYS RAPID AI DEVELOPMENT COULD TRANSFORM MILITARY CAPABILITIES AS DRAMATICALLY AS NUCLEAR ADVANCEMENTS DID IN THE 20TH CENTURY.

WHILE SCHMIDT SEES BENEFITS IN DRONE WARFARE, HE SAYS WESTERN MILITARIES ARE ADAPTING SLOWLY TO NEW TECHNOLOGIES. AT THE SAME TIME, THE WAR BETWEEN UKRAINE AND RUSSIA IS SHOWING RAPID INNOVATION IN DRONE TACTICS, WITH BOTH SIDES CONTINUALLY UPDATING THEIR STRATEGIES ON A NEAR WEEKLY BASIS

SCHMIDT CERTAINLY ISN’T ALONE IN HIS CRITICISM OF WESTERN MILITARIES. HOWEVER, NOT EVERYONE IS CONVINCED TANKS SHOULD GO THE WAY OF THE DO-DO. PLENTY OF MILITARY ANALYSTS CAUTION TRADITIONAL WEAPONRY, LIKE TANKS, RETAIN THEIR VALUE WHEN SUPPORTED BY STRONG LOGISTICS AND TACTICAL PLANNING.

EVEN IN RECENT CONFLICTS LIKE UKRAINE, TANKS REMAIN CENTRAL TO THE FIGHTING, HIGHLIGHTING THAT WHILE DRONES PROVIDE NEW CAPABILITIES, CONVENTIONAL ARMORED PLATFORMS STILL HAVE A ROLE IN MODERN COMBAT STRATEGY.

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