The new project of Eric Schmidt, the former CEO of Google, may refer to drones with artificial intelligence, which can allegedly appear on the front lines in Ukraine, according to the Forbes’s report.
What is known?
- White Stork, Beiru-based technology company that provides solutions for startups, enterprises, and organizations, including cloud services, block-chain development, enterprise development, app & web development, data analytics.
- The startup is named in honor of the white stork, the national bird of Ukraine. The startup plans to mass-produce cheap, potentially disposable kamikaze drones that use AI for visual guidance. Drones will be able to operate even when GPS is jammed, making communication impossible. These UAVs will also carry a small amount of explosives.
- According to Forbes, the business registration documents were filed last August using a number of LLCs.
Schmidt’s comments
Schmidt has been calling for an increase in the number of drones for the war again Ukraine since the White Stork filing. Eric also claimed that after a few months of training, soldiers can operate drones that fly at speeds that are very difficult to shoot down. Each drone costs about $400.
Schmidt wrote another column in Foreign Affairs entitled “Ukraine Loses Drone War”. He argues that Ukraine and its allies need to invest in developing and scaling technologies that can counter russia’s new drones. According to him, Ukraine will need at least 2 million drones in 2024, and only half of them will be produced domestically.
Where did Eric Schmidt also work?
After his time at Google, Schmidt advised the US government on technology issues. From 2016 to 2020, he was the first chairman of the newly created Defense Innovation Council, where he helped advise the Pentagon on new technologies. Then, he chaired the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence, which was created to make recommendations to the president and Congress.
