Silicon Valley's enthusiasm for Pentagon is just beginning
In the span of a few years, Silicon Valley executives have shifted from viewing Pentagon collaboration as war-mongering to joining the US Army Reserve.
And if the response Palantir chief technology officer Shyam Sankar — who has joined the newly formed Detachment 201: Executive Innovation Corps — has received is any indication, the tech industry's enthusiasm is just beginning.
Sankar told me he has been inundated with messages from people in the industry who want to do the same. 'Hundreds of people have reached out to me,' he said. 'Service is contagious and people respond.'
Advertisement
7 Palantir chief technology officer Shyam Sankar he has been inundated with messages from people in the tech industry interested in serving in the Army Reserve: 'Hundreds of people have reached out to me.'
Getty Images for 137 Ventures/Founders Fund/Jacob Helberg
Last Friday, Sankar was sworn into Detachment 201, along with Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth, OpenAI Chief Product Officer Kevin Weil and Bob McGrew, OpenAI's former Chief Research Office. The four will serve part-time as senior advisors.
The purpose of the new initiative, the Army said in a statement, 'is to fuse cutting-edge tech expertise with military innovation.'
Sankar envisions a future where the Department of Defense will prioritize recruiting in the Bay Area.
Advertisement
'You need to be where the innovative talent is,' he said. 'We have the facilities they don't have.'
7 OpenAI chief product officer Kevin Weil is joining the US Army Reserve as a part-time senior advisor.
Getty Images for HumanX Conference
This surge of patriotism marks a dramatic change for an industry that has, in recent years, shunned defense tech firms.
Scale CEO Alexandr Wang told me his company's decision to work with the Department of Defense five years ago was enormously controversial at the time.
Advertisement
7 Meta Chief Technology Officer Andrew Bosworth is joining Sankar at the newly formed Detachment 201: Executive Innovation Corps.
REUTERS
'We were a bit of a pariah in the AI industry because all the other AI companies were were going the other way. They were moving away from working with on defense or security applications,' Wang said. 'And now I'm seeing that pendulum swing back where, even in Silicon Valley, there's a clear recognition and moral imperative that we need to be utilizing AI to support, support our war fighters, support our natural security mission.'
Over the past year, OpenAI secured a $200 million contract with the DoD to develop AI capabilities for national security, marking its first major government contract.
Advertisement
7 In the last year, OpenAI — where Sam Altman is CEO — secured a $200 million contract with the Department of Defense.
Getty Images
Meta partnered with Anduril Industries to develop augmented reality (AR) products for US military use. Google has re-entered the defense sector by reversing earlier AI policies that prevented it from supporting national security.
That's a big switch from 2018, when Google walked away from the Pentagon's Project Maven (which used AI and machine learning for military targeting) after thousands of employees — touting the company's 'Don't be evil' mantra — signed a letter demanding the company abandon the project.
David Ulevitch founded a16z's American Dynamism firm, which invests in founders and companies that support the national interest, including in the fields of aerospace, defense, public safety, education and housing.
He told me that Google's overreaction was a 'watershed moment' that spurred others in the industry to return to working on defense and warfare.
7 In 2018 Google walked away from the Pentagon's Project Maven after thousands of employees — touting the company's 'Don't be evil' mantra — signed a letter demanding the company abandon the project.
JOHN G MABANGLO/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
'The history of Silicon Valley is rooted in supporting the national interest ,' he said, 'but somewhere along the way, many lost sight of that.
'Founders have realized that building in the national interest doesn't just feel good and patriotic — which it is — but represents a generational opportunity to build the iconic companies that will power and advance our country for decades to come.'
Advertisement
During World War II, Frederick Terman, the Stanford engineering dean often called the 'father of Silicon Valley,' built a defense tech ecosystem at the university, securing government contracts and establishing the Stanford Industrial Park. And companies like Hewlett-Packard, Varian Associates, Shockley Semiconductor and Fairchild Semiconductor supplied critical electronics for military radar, missiles and communication systems.
7 Alexandr Wang said concerns over China and the geopolitical tensions have pushed tech leaders to work with the US government.
REUTERS
This story is part of NYNext, an indispensable insider insight into the innovations, moonshots and political chess moves that matter most to NYC's power players (and those who aspire to be).
The stakes might be higher now, with AI's potential to transform governance or even create an extinction event. And many tech leaders have worked with China — and recognize how that country doesn't play fair.
Advertisement
Wang warned: 'If China gets ahead and America's brightest minds don't tackle national security, what does that world look like?'
Silicon Valley's embrace of patriotism coincides with a cultural shift as companies crack down on all things 'woke,' decreasing DEI requirements and curtailing climate pledges.
Of course, along with patriotism comes the potential for enormous profit.
7 The Department of Defense, headquartered in the Pentagon, has a budget of nearly a trillion dollars each year.
Getty Images/iStockphoto
Advertisement
Palantir, which relies on the government for more than 40% of its revenue, has come under scrutiny — with lawmakers asking the company to share details of a project that could help the government create a database of Americans, according to a New York Times report.
Rep. Warren Davidson (R-Ohio) has concerns about data privacy and tech companies getting too close to the government, emphasizing the need for a balance between innovation and security. 'You can innovate while safeguarding information,' he told me. He said technologies like blockchain, which could track access to American data, offer a promising solution to enhance privacy protections.
Relying on American companies is arguably the best way to do that.
Advertisement
'Ninety percent of all tech is American… it's one of our greatest assets,' Sankar said. 'This is about the importance and primacy of people. When we look at history, innovators like John Boyd, who created the F-16, [have from] the private sector.'
Send NYNext a tip: nynextlydia@nypost.com
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
43 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Meta and Oakley's smart glasses are coming this week
Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses are getting some competition from Meta itself. The company is apparently collaborating with Oakley on a pair of new smart glasses, due to launch on Friday, June 20. Oakley teased the launch on Monday, with a video that displays the two companies' logos, and a caption that reads: "The next evolution is coming on June 20." Oakley also shared the same video on Instagram, with a notable nod by Ray-Ban Meta's official account. SEE ALSO: Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses are more of an AI device than ever with new updates This isn't about Meta jumping ship and working with an entirely different company. Both the Oakley and Ray-Ban brands are owned by Italian eyewear mega-company Luxottica. Given that Oakley is better known for sports glasses, while Ray-Ban mostly sells fashion eyewear, we're probably getting a sportier version of Ray-Ban Meta on Friday, this time with the Oakley brand attached. New Meta/Oakley smart glasses might look a little bit like the Oakley Sphaera (pictured). Credit: Oakley In January this year, Bloomberg reported that Meta and Oakley were collaborating on smart glasses, which would be based on Oakley's Sphaera glasses, and aimed at cyclists and other athletes.
Yahoo
43 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Meta Oakley smart glasses revealed with an assist from Steph Curry
All products featured here are independently selected by our editors and writers. If you buy something through links on our site, Mashable may earn an affiliate commission. On Friday, Meta announced the upcoming launch of its newest smart glasses, part of a collaboration with Oakley. The Oakley Meta HSTN will be available for preorder starting July 11 and they'll retail for $499. A press release states, "Our first product for athletes and fans alike, Oakley Meta HSTN (pronounced HOW-stuhn), based on the HSTN style of Oakley glasses, combines bold aesthetics with cutting-edge tech." Meta calls the new wearable AI Performance Glasses, and they have some key differences from the Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses that are already available. Some of the key upgrades with the Meta Oakley glasses include: A longer battery life: Eight hours (or 19 hours on standby). An improved camera: The smart glasses offer Ultra HD 3K video. Onboard AI assistant: Users can 'get answers to a range of questions.' Credit: Meta Like the Meta Ray-Bans, the new glasses will have an IPX4 water resistance rating and come with a charging case. Users can use the Bluetooth smart glasses to listen to music, take pictures, and record video. We knew these glasses were coming, and Meta finally unveiled its collaboration with Oakley in a splashy video campaign on Friday. The video featured athletes such as Stephen Curry and Kylian Mbappé, as well as several surfers and skateboarders. In the promo video, Curry says, 'This is gonna change everything.' Credit: Meta / YouTube Credit: Meta / YouTube OK, Curry. That's a bold, hyperbolic claim, but in line with comments made by Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg, who is a big believer in smart glasses — the founder has even predicted this technology will one day replace mobile phones. Zuckerberg has been the biggest booster of Meta's smart glasses, and he often wears the glasses during panels and events. Like other leading tech companies, Meta is investing heavily in its smart glasses tech. Samsung and Google are both working on their own smart glasses technology, both separately and together. Apple is also rumored to be exploring smart glasses. Opens in a new window Credit: Meta Oakley Meta HSTN AI Performance Glasses $499 at Meta Preorders start July 11 Learn More
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Why Apple Must Buy Perplexity
Tim Cook ought to call Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas and offer him $30 billion for his AI search engine. And he should do it right away. Apple buying Perplexity is such an obviously good deal for both companies that I feel silly even writing it down. Apple would get a bonafide AI service it could plug right into Safari and Siri that would revamp its disappointing AI offering. Perplexity would get access to the 2 billion+ Apple devices in circulation and become an AI force on par with ChatGPT. 'Not likely!' Perplexity chief business officer Dmitry Shevelenko told me of a potential tie-up with Apple. 'But Meta-Scale is so unlikely that I feel we aren't living in a world of likelies.' Apple and Perplexity have had no M&A discussions to date, Shevelenko added, not even a wink. But that should change. As an AI search engine, Perplexity could slot in neatly across Apple's product portfolio. It could integrate into Siri with a seamlessness that only comes via ownership. Apple values control of its product experience, and having its designers work alongside Perplexity's engineers could help it shape exactly how its AI answers show up in the assistant. Perplexity also has an AI voice mode that could surprise and delight users, and perhaps supplant Siri one day. And many Apple customers who haven't used AI yet could experience its power for the first time through Perplexity's search, image generator, and Deep Research. There's urgency to get a deal done right away. Apple's search partner, Google, is at risk of losing its ability to pay Apple for the default search position on Safari, a deal worth billions of dollars per year. If Apple acts now, it could start integrating Perplexity into its products and figure out how to make money from the service before it's too late. Waiting and scrambling only if the ruling goes through could lead to years of setbacks. And Perplexity's price will likely go up if a court ruling prevents Google from paying Apple. Perplexity is also wrapping up a $500 fundraising round at a very manageable $14 billion valuation. If Apple doubled that amount in a purchase offer, Perplexity would have to take it. And Apple has the money. The company did a $110 billion share buyback last year and announced a $100 billion buyback this year. Apple's slow AI start is a strategic crisis. There will never be a better time to use its cash. Spending $30 billion on a legitimate AI player is vastly better than standing still. The market would likely celebrate it, even if it means a smaller buyback. Growth stocks get growth multiples. Adding to the import of getting this done now, Perplexity has a deepening partnership with Samsung that could be hard to dissolve with time. Currently, the companies are offering Perplexity Pro for free to all Samsung users. But they're in talks for a deeper partnership that would include preloading Perplexity onto Samsung devices and integrating it into Samsung's browser. Apple swooping in and taking Perplexity off the table would be ruthless, but also a sign it knows the stakes of this AI moment and isn't messing around. The acquisition might get the attention of antitrust regulators, but consider this: Apple has practically no share in the search market since it's effectively outsourced it Google. And Perplexity is still tiny compared to the incumbents. It would be exceptionally difficult to argue the deal helps illegally maintain a search monopoly. It would likely sail through approvals. Even at its small size, Perplexity is showing good momentum. Srinivas recently said the company is seeing 20% month-over-month growth in search queries and handled 780 million queries in May. That's minuscule compared to Google's 5 trillion searches per year, but there's plenty of room to grow. And Perplexity's AI search product is largely beloved by its users. This would be the biggest acquisition in Apple's history (by far), potentially 10X its $3 billion Beats purchase. But the fit, urgency, and potential make the move necessary at a time when Apple needs to do something bold in AI, especially as its in-house team struggles to ship. Tim, if you're reading this, close your mail app and get on the phone with Perplexity right away. This article is from Big Technology, a newsletter by Alex Kantrowitz. The post Why Apple Must Buy Perplexity appeared first on TheWrap. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
