The Importance of Adaptation in the 21st Century Military

A Lesson from Ukraine: The Power of Agility in Innovation

That lightning-quick innovation is possible for two reasons: First, Ukraine has a large and diverse domestic drone industry of over 200 companies — along with hundreds of smaller firms and volunteers — that turn out hundreds of thousands of small, cheap drones a month. Second, Ukraine’s military prizes agility over certainty in adopting and adapting new technologies, including faster approvals, rapid prototyping and testing, and direct collaboration between engineers and soldiers on the front lines.

A Warning to the United States: Adapt or Be Left Behind

This war is both a lesson and a warning to the United States: Adapt now or be left behind. In 2016, the Marine Corps commandant, Gen. Robert Neller, announced a “quads for squads” program, promising to equip every Marine squad with its own quadcopter drones by the “end of next year.” Eight years later, the Marines are still trying to make that happen. So, what’s the problem? The U.S. drone industry lags China’s, manufacturing only 5,000 to 6,000 small drones per month, compared to China’s more than one hundred thousand per month, according to some analysts, and they are no match for China’s in capability or cost.

Diversifying Risk and Promoting Innovation

To stay ahead, the new administration must place new bets. It needs to diversify risk. This means developing a wide array of systems, made by many companies in smaller numbers, rather than putting all its resources into a few big-ticket platforms from a few major players. When such systems prove their worth, they can be rapidly scaled up and upgraded. Systems failing to make the grade — and the companies behind them — get left behind.

The Diffusion of Technology and the Importance of Collaboration

The diffusion of technology means U.S. military superiority must come not just from the weapons it has, but from how it uses them. This calls for close collaboration among operators, engineers, and industry figures. Innovation thrives when ideas are tested and refined in the field, not just in labs.

Bringing the Military into the 21st Century

The Pentagon’s current approach is rooted in a mind-set that worked for 20th-century industrial-era wars, including the Cold War. The Trump administration’s task is to bring the military into the 21st century. The future of warfare and deterrence requires diversity, flexibility, and speed. The sooner the United States adapts, the better prepared it will be for the conflicts to come.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the article highlights the importance of innovation and adaptation in the 21st century military. The example of Ukraine’s drone industry and its ability to quickly develop and deploy new technologies serves as a lesson to the United States. The US military must adopt a more agile approach, including diversifying risk, promoting collaboration, and embracing innovation. The future of warfare and deterrence requires the US to adapt and stay ahead of emerging threats.

FAQs

Q: What is the US drone industry’s output compared to China’s?
A: The US drone industry manufactures 5,000 to 6,000 small drones per month, compared to China’s more than 100,000 per month.

Q: Why is the US drone industry lagging behind China’s?
A: The US drone industry is limited by its focus on a few big-ticket platforms from a few major players, whereas China’s industry is more diverse, with many companies producing small drones in smaller numbers.

Q: What is the key to Ukraine’s success in drone development?
A: Ukraine’s military prizes agility over certainty in adopting and adapting new technologies, including faster approvals, rapid prototyping and testing, and direct collaboration between engineers and soldiers on the front lines.

Q: What is the Trump administration’s task regarding the military?
A: The Trump administration’s task is to bring the military into the 21st century, requiring diversity, flexibility, and speed in the face of emerging threats.

Cost-Cutting Initiatives and AI Deployment in the US Government

AI Initiatives in the US Government

For the past few weeks, Elon Musk’s team has been working to swiftly cut costs across the US government, which has seen its annual deficit increase for the last three years. The Office of Personnel Management, which acts as the HR department for the government and is stacked with Musk loyalists, has encouraged federal employees to resign if they cannot return to the office five days a week and commit to a culture of loyalty and excellence.

AI Deployment in the Department of Education

DOGE’s AI initiatives dovetail with the group’s efforts to reduce the federal budget and speed up existing processes. For instance, DOGE members at the Department of Education are reportedly using AI tools to analyze spending and programs, The Washington Post reported on Thursday. A department spokesperson says that the focus is on finding cost efficiencies.

GSAi Chatbot Project

The General Services Administration’s GSAi chatbot project could bring similar benefits, enabling workers, for example, to draft memos faster. The agency had hoped to use existing software such as Google Gemini, but ultimately determined that it wouldn’t provide the level of data DOGE desired, according to one of the people familiar with the project. Google spokesperson Jose Castañeda declined to comment.

AI Coding Agents

It’s not the only DOGE AI ambition that hasn’t panned out. On Monday, Shedd described deploying "AI coding agents" as among the agency’s top priorities, according to remarks described to WIRED. These agents help engineers automatically generate, edit, and answer questions about software code in hopes of boosting productivity and reducing errors. One tool the team looked into, according to documents viewed by WIRED, was Cursor, a coding assistant developed by Anysphere, a fast-growing San Francisco startup.

Conflict of Interest

Anysphere’s leading investors include Thrive Capital and Andreessen Horowitz—both of which have connections to Trump. Joshua Kushner, Thrive’s managing partner, has historically made political campaign donations to Democrats, but he is the brother of Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner. Andreessen cofounder Marc Andreessen has said he’s advising Trump on tech and energy policy.

Alternative Option

A different person familiar with the General Services Administration’s technology purchases says the IT team at the agency had initially approved the use of Cursor, only to retract it later for further review. Now, DOGE is pushing to install Microsoft’s GitHub Copilot, the world’s most well-known coding assistant, according to the other person familiar with the agency.

Federal Regulations

Federal regulations require avoiding even the appearance of a conflict of interest in the choice of suppliers. And while there haven’t been any known widespread concerns about Cursor’s security, federal agencies are generally required by law to study potential cybersecurity risks before adopting new technology.

Conclusion

The federal government’s interest and use of AI isn’t new. In October 2023, then-president Biden ordered the General Services Administration to prioritize security reviews for several categories of AI tools, including chatbots and coding assistants. But by the end of his term, none had made it through even the preliminary agency review processes, according to a former official familiar with them. As a result, no dedicated AI-assisted coding tools have received authorization under FedRAMP, a GSA program to centralize security reviews and ease the burden on individual agencies.

FAQs

• Q: What are DOGE AI initiatives?
  A: DOGE’s AI initiatives aim to reduce the federal budget and speed up existing processes, such as using AI tools to analyze spending and programs in the Department of Education.
• Q: What is the GSAi chatbot project?
  A: The GSAi chatbot project is an initiative to develop a chatbot that can draft memos faster, among other tasks.
• Q: What is the AI coding agents initiative?
  A: The AI coding agents initiative aims to deploy agents that can automatically generate, edit, and answer questions about software code, boosting productivity and reducing errors.
• Q: What is the conflict of interest issue?
  A: The conflict of interest issue arises from the involvement of Trump-connected investors in Anysphere, the developer of Cursor, a coding assistant being considered for use by the General Services Administration.

OpenAI Co-Founder John Schulman Joins Mira Murati’s New Startup

Former OpenAI Co-Founder and CTO Mira Murati’s Secretive New Venture Gains Momentum

OpenAI co-founder John Schulman, who left AI startup Anthropic last week after a mere five months, is reportedly joining former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati’s secretive new startup, according to Fortune.

Schulman’s New Role Unclear

It’s unclear what Schulman’s role will be in Murati’s new venture. Fortune was unable to learn that information, and Murati has been tight-lipped about the venture since she left OpenAI in September. However, one source revealed to Fortune that Murati has recruited additional ex-OpenAI staff, including Christian Gibson, who was serving on OpenAI’s supercomputing team.

Schulman’s Departure from Anthropic

Confirming his departure from Anthropic, Schulman tweeted: "Leaving wasn’t easy because I enjoyed the stimulating research environment and the kind and talented people I was working with, but I decided to go with another opportunity that I found extremely compelling. I’ll share more details in the coming weeks."

Murati’s New Venture

Murati was reportedly in talks to raise over $100 million for her company in October. Her new venture has been shrouded in secrecy, with little information available about its focus or goals.

Schulman’s Background at OpenAI

Schulman was credited as one of the leading architects of ChatGPT, and left OpenAI in August to join Anthropic. In his post on X, he stated that he was leaving OpenAI to deepen his focus on AI alignment – the science of ensuring AI behaves as intended – and engage in more hands-on technical work.

Conclusion

The departure of John Schulman from Anthropic and his reported joinery with Mira Murati’s new startup marks a significant development in the AI landscape. As the industry continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how these new partnerships shape the future of AI research and development.

FAQs

Q: What is John Schulman’s new role at Mira Murati’s new startup?
A: The role is currently unclear, with Murati being tight-lipped about the venture’s details.

Q: Who else has joined Mira Murati’s new startup?
A: Christian Gibson, a former OpenAI supercomputing team member, has also joined the venture.

Q: What is the focus of Mira Murati’s new startup?
A: The focus of the venture is currently unknown, with Murati reportedly in talks to raise over $100 million in funding.

Will Sony Ever Release a Bloodborne Remake or Remaster?

The Copyright Enforcers Strike Again

Last week, Sony’s copyright enforcers shut down the 60fps mod that allowed Bloodborne to run smoothly, and now they’ve killed the fan-made "Bloodborne PSX" demake that reimagined the game as a block game for the original 1995 PlayStation. The takedown notice claims that the creator, Walther, is engaging in "digital piracy."

A History of Sony’s Approach to Fan Creations

It’s not surprising that Sony wouldn’t want Walther to promote her work using its copyrighted names. However, what’s surprising is that Sony needed an enforcer in the first place. Walther was happy to change her other "Bloodborne Kart" game to "Nightmare Kart" after Sony simply reached out and asked her. This suggests that Sony is willing to work with fans, but only on its own terms.

The Role of MarkScan

MarkScan, a company that submits millions of URL takedown requests on behalf of various companies, including Sony, was also behind the Bloodborne 60fps mod takedown. MarkScan took down one of Walther’s YouTube videos about Bloodborne PSX with a copyright claim. This raises questions about the motivations behind these takedowns.

A Coded Message from Sony?

Sony did get our hopes up by putting Bloodborne at the very end of its 30th Anniversary thank-you video in December with the words "It’s about persistence." Could this be a coded message to fans that they need to keep on waiting for a remake or remaster?

Conclusion

While Sony’s copyright enforcers may be shutting down fan creations, it’s clear that the company is willing to work with fans on its own terms. The question remains: will Sony ever release a remake or remaster of Bloodborne? Only time will tell.

FAQs

Q: Why did Sony shut down the Bloodborne 60fps mod and the Bloodborne PSX demake?
A: Sony’s copyright enforcers claimed that the creators were engaging in "digital piracy."

Q: Has Sony ever worked with fans on their creations?
A: Yes, Sony has worked with fans in the past. Walther was asked to change her "Bloodborne Kart" game to "Nightmare Kart" after Sony reached out and asked her.

Q: Who is MarkScan, and what is its role in the takedowns?
A: MarkScan is a company that submits millions of URL takedown requests on behalf of various companies, including Sony. It was also behind the Bloodborne 60fps mod takedown and took down one of Walther’s YouTube videos about Bloodborne PSX with a copyright claim.

Q: Is Sony’s approach to fan creations a sign that they will never release a remake or remaster of Bloodborne?
A: No, Sony’s approach to fan creations is not necessarily a sign that they will never release a remake or remaster of Bloodborne. The company may be waiting for the right time to do so.