Eric Schmidt’s covert AI military drone initiative is gaining momentum. Forbes reveals that the ex-Google CEO’s enigmatic enterprise has recruited about a dozen employees from industry leaders such as Apple, SpaceX, and Google over recent months. The objective of this venture is to create drones with AI capabilities for precise targeting. Additionally, the company has attracted key personnel from the federal government and Schmidt’s nonprofit, Schmidt Futures, as per Forbes.
A spokesperson for Schmidt did not provide a comment. Schmidt has been developing the project discreetly. Initially identified as White Stork by Forbes, the project has been renamed Project Eagle.
Forbes also reports that the company has been testing AI-driven drones both from Hillspire, Schmidt’s family office in Silicon Valley, and in Ukraine, a location Schmidt has visited multiple times. Schmidt has publicly expressed his belief that AI has the potential to transform modern warfare. After leaving Google, Schmidt chaired both the Department of Defense’s Innovation Board and the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence.
Although it once seemed like science fiction, AI is now significantly influencing modern warfare.
Israel has reportedly used AI to pick targets during its ongoing war with Hamas in Gaza. Experts say AI could change how decisions are made in wars and cut costs by letting military leaders simulate war scenarios to plan future strategies.
However, some warn that adopting AI in combat too quickly could be risky, as legal and ethical guidelines might not be developing fast enough to control its use.
