US military should give away tanks & buy AI-powered drone: Google former CEO Eric Schmidt

Eric Schmidt, the former CEO and chairman of Google, is pushing for a radical shift in the US military’s strategy, advocating for a move away from traditional tank fleets in favour of AI-powered drones. Bloomberg Billionaires Index lists Schmidt among the 100 richest people in the world.

Schmidt, who played a pivotal role in Google’s success from 2001 to 2011 and later served as executive chairman of both Google and its parent company, Alphabet, is deeply involved in the technological transformation of various sectors, including national defence.

Schmidt is no stranger to military technology. As per Forbes he is the founder of White Stork, a startup focused on developing autonomous “Kamikaze drones” for use in Ukraine.

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These drones are designed to loiter on the battlefield, waiting for the right moment to target and destroy enemy positions. Schmidt has drawn parallels between the drones’ ability to operate in GPS-jammed environments and their strategic value on the modern battlefield.

As per a report in ToI, at a recent appearance at the Future Investment Initiative in Saudi Arabia, Schmidt spoke on the potential of drones to revolutionise modern warfare. He noted the US military’s stockpile of tanks, suggesting, “I read somewhere that the US had thousands and thousands of tanks stored somewhere. Give them away. Buy a drone instead.”

Schmidt’s stance is shaped by the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, which has highlighted the effectiveness of low-cost, off-the-shelf drones in countering expensive military equipment.

“A $5,000 drone can destroy a $5 million tank,” Schmidt said, Forbes reported, referencing the war’s demonstration of the cost-effectiveness of drones.

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He believes that such affordable drones are reshaping the future of warfare, providing a powerful alternative to traditional, high-cost military assets.

In July 2023, Schmidt penned an op-ed for The Wall Street Journal, calling drones “the future of war.” He noted that Ukraine has succeeded in its defense efforts despite Russia’s military advantages, largely due to its deployment of drones.

With inputs from agencies.