Latest news with #ArmyTransformationInitiative
Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
4 top execs of Silicon Valley are joining the US Army as Army Reserve Lt. Colonel; here's what the mission is
President Donald Trump salutes during a military parade commemorating the Army's 250th anniversary, coinciding with his 79th birthday, in Washington, as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and first lady Melania Trump watch. (AP/PTI)(AP06_15_2025_000056A) The U.S. Army is establishing Detachment 201: The Army's Executive Innovation Corps, a new initiative designed to fuse cutting-edge tech expertise with military innovation. Under this, The US military recently announced that four executives from some of the top tech companies in Silicon Valley have joined the Army Reserve as direct-commissioned officers. The four new Army Reserve Lt. Cols. are: Shyam Sankar, Chief Technology Officer for Palantir; Andrew Bosworth, Chief Technology Officer of Meta; Kevin Weil, Chief Product Officer of OpenAI; and Bob McGrew, advisor at Thinking Machines Lab and former Chief Research Officer for OpenAI. What is US Army's Detachment 201 project Detachment 201 is an effort to recruit senior tech executives to serve part-time in the Army Reserve as senior advisors. In this role they will work on targeted projects to help guide rapid and scalable tech solutions to complex problems. By bringing private-sector know-how into uniform, Det. 201 is supercharging efforts like the Army Transformation Initiative, which aims to make the force leaner, smarter, and more lethal. What is the mission of the US Army's Detachment 201 project The swearing-in of the four Silicon Valley top executives is, as per an official press release from the US Army: To be just the start of a bigger mission to inspire more tech pros to serve without leaving their careers, showing the next generation how to make a difference in uniform. The new reservists will serve for about 120 hours a year, according to the Wall Street Journal, and will have a lot of flexibility to work remotely. They'll work on helping the Army acquire more commercial tech.
CNBC
5 days ago
- Business
- CNBC
How the Army is cutting costs and rethinking policy to move faster on new tech
In western Louisiana, a Black Hawk helicopter ride away from the Fort Johnson military base, sits a vast complex of wilderness that the U.S. Army uses to train soldiers for combat. The expanse, what the Joint Readiness Training Center's calls the "Box," stretches 242,000 acres. It was there that the 1st Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division recently completed a two-week rotation and that the service's top military official, U.S. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George, paid servicemembers a visit. "We immerse our units in the training that's here. We have a professional opposing force that also has the latest technology, and this is where we learn, adapt and transform," George told CNBC. "This is our fourth brigade that we have basically brought through here and we are completely changing the technology that they're using, how they're organized, and then how they operate." The 1st Brigade is a new type of military unit: a "transformation in contact" (TIC) brigade. The Army stood up the concept a year ago, and this one represents the most modern to date, equipped with artificial intelligence-enabled platforms, SpaceX Starlink internet connectivity, retrofitted autonomous vehicles and nearly 400 drones. "What makes this one unique is the scale," said Trevor Voelkel, commander of the 101st Airborne Division's 1st Brigade Combat Team. "The technology has improved, and we're trying to maintain pace with that." George, whose military career spans four decades, said the Army is on the cusp of a "paradigm shift," ushered in by TIC brigades. Last month, America's oldest military branch unveiled the Army Transformation Initiative in what is expected to be its biggest restructuring in at least a generation. Greenlit by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and spearheaded by both George and his civilian counterpart, Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll, the initiative enables the Army to trim some jobs and reposition others. It also calls for shifting more defense dollars to products that can be made quickly and cheaply as battlefields become more autonomous and as "exquisite weapons systems" like tanks and aircraft that cost millions to make have proven to be vulnerable to drone strikes. Part of the reimaging is an effort to expand beyond the rigid, years-long acquisition process that has defined defense procurement and helped perpetuate legacy programs — whether services like the Army want to continue investing in them or not. "We know our formations want to move faster, and we are trying to get the whole system to move much more rapidly," said George. "A big part of that is stop buying the things that we know are not going to be as effective on the battlefield so that we can infuse our formations with the things that really will be." Army leadership has talked about improvements to bureaucratic processes for years, but it's been slow going. What makes this initiative potentially different is an extended continuing resolution coupled with a flurry of presidential executive orders — and the existence of the Department of Government Efficiency that could help a deeper cultural shift take root. "There's just so much change happening inside the Army, inside the [Defense] Department that wouldn't have been possible a couple years ago," said Katherine Boyle, a general partner at investment firm Andreessen Horowitz, who cofounded the firm's American Dynamism practice and has invested in startups like Anduril. "To see that culture of change, and that culture of DOGE-ing oneself, of cuts, of making sure that you're spending money in the right way, of innovation really hitting different agencies, I think, it's in some ways very hopeful for people who are building new technologies who want to work with the government," Boyle said in a recent interview with CNBC. In the Box, the TIC brigade soldiers were supplied with 40 new technologies from 10 different companies — many of them not traditional defense contractors. Engineers and executives from the companies were embedded alongside the soldiers to troubleshoot issues and ensure changes could be communicated back to production lines in real time. Take Skydio, the largest commercial drone maker outside of China, which sells products to the Army. Its drone wasn't flying the full range advertised during testing in the Box. "We were able to discover that it wasn't some crazy electromagnetic issue. It was actually an issue in the settings where the drone was set on low power," said Mark Valentine, president of Skydio's global government business. "So instead of going through weeks of trying to understand how that happened, within 24 hours, we were able to identify the default setting was low power, set it on high power, and that solved the problem." Then there's the example of autonomous vehicles. The Army has a fleet of 100,000 Humvees acquired and sustained over decades. The service needs new capabilities, and General Motors is manufacturing new infantry squad vehicles (ISV) based off a modified Chevy Colorado. Driscoll asked why commercial self-driving tech couldn't be adapted for military vehicles, and in 10 days startup Applied Intuition had retrofitted a GM ISV to be autonomous and to the Box it went, according to Applied Intuition cofounder and CEO Qasar Younis. "I think we can move faster than we are," George said. "Our troops can handle the move. They can go fast and so what we've got to do is break down all the bureaucracy … to make sure that we're moving at the speed that we need to for them." "Nobody's still using the VCR. We don't need to continue to buy a VCR just because somebody sells it," he said. "We need to have the latest technology that's on the battlefield."
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
US Army's nerd force; Palantir, Meta, OpenAI tech bosses join Executive Innovation Corps, one sold knives in college
Army forms Detachment 201 to bridge civil-military tech divide The US Army officially launched Detachment 201: Executive Innovation Corps on June 13, 2025, as part of its broader Army Transformation Initiative. The new reserve unit aims to integrate top technology executives into the Army Reserve to support innovation and modernization across military operations. Participants are commissioned as part-time lieutenant colonels and will serve as strategic advisors, offering insight into emerging technologies and supporting the development of tech-driven defense capabilities. Also read: US Space Force: US admits China the preeminent space power with powerful weapons by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Moose Approaches Girl At Bus Stop In National Capital Region - Watch What Happens Happy in Shape Four prominent figures from the tech industry were sworn in as the inaugural members of the Executive Innovation Corps. The founding cohort includes Shyam Sankar, Chief Technology Officer at Palantir; Andrew Bosworth, Chief Technology Officer of Meta; Kevin Weil, Chief Product Officer at OpenAI; and Bob McGrew , former Chief Research Officer at OpenAI and current advisor at Thinking Machines Lab. Here's more about who they are and why they are chosen to be the new nerds for US Army's invasion into military tech: Live Events Shyam Sankar: from Systems Engineer to Palantir's Chief Technologist Shyam Sankar is Chief Technology Officer of Palantir Technologies and one of the most vocal advocates for revitalizing the US defense industrial base. His professional journey reflects a deep commitment to applied technology, national resilience, and transformation of how government institutions work with private-sector software. Sankar holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Cornell University and a Master of Science in Management Science and Engineering from Stanford University. His career began in the early 2000s with ZeroChaos as a developer and later transitioned into business roles at Xoom Corporation, including VP of Network Management for Asia Pacific. These formative roles gave him early exposure to financial technology, distributed systems, and emerging markets. In 2006, Sankar joined Palantir Technologies, then a relatively young company, as Chief Operating Officer. For nearly 17 years, he played a leading role in building Palantir into one of the most prominent defense-tech software firms in the world. His work spanned operations, product strategy, and client engagement, particularly with national security and military institutions. In 2023, he was named Chief Technology Officer. Also read: China develops military tech to advance its aggressive cause Sankar is also Chairman of Ginkgo Bioworks, a synthetic biology firm, and a trustee at the Hudson Institute, reflecting his broader interests in biotechnology and strategic policy. He is a frequent public voice on the urgent need to modernize the defense industrial base in the face of rising geopolitical threats and technological stagnation. His commissioning into the Army Reserve's Executive Innovation Corps as a lieutenant colonel represents a formal extension of his work to bridge civilian and military technology. Sankar's perspective is shaped by his belief that the US must reawaken its Cold War-era spirit of industrial mobilization. His work champions speed, utility, and interoperability in defense software, values he sees as essential for modern warfighting and deterrence. Andrew Bosworth: from sales rep to Meta's Chief Technologist Andrew Bosworth, widely known in the tech industry as 'Boz,' is Chief Technology Officer at Meta and one of the company's most senior engineering leaders. His journey from selling knives door-to-door to leading Meta 's long-term technology vision highlights a career defined by relentless execution, product innovation, and scale. Bosworth's career began not in Silicon Valley, but with a headset and a kitchen demo kit. As a field sales manager at Vector Marketing, he sold Cutco knives door-to-door during college. His ability to train, motivate, and manage sales teams, while personally driving over $40,000 in individual sales in just 12 weeks, laid an early foundation in high-performance communication and leadership. He went on to manage over 100 representatives and helped drive $1 million in summer sales, giving him a rare edge in people operations and team dynamics. He graduated from Harvard University in 2004 with an A.B. in Computer Science, concentrating on the study of mind, brain, and behavior. Post-graduation, Bosworth joined Microsoft as a software design engineer on the Visio team, contributing to layout and routing systems for a $350 million-a-year product. The role gave him deep exposure to large-scale codebases and mission-critical software design. Also read: Trump awards Boeing $20 billion contract for Air Force's next-gen F-47 fighter jet to counter China's military advances In 2006, he joined Facebook as one of its earliest engineers. He was instrumental in building core products such as News Feed, Groups, and Messaging, some of the most widely used social features in the world. Over the next 16 years, he expanded into leadership roles spanning infrastructure, machine learning, and ultimately hardware. In 2017, Bosworth was tapped to lead Meta's Reality Labs division, overseeing Oculus virtual reality development and the company's push into augmented reality. His work helped shape Meta's strategy toward immersive computing and the broader vision of the metaverse. Appointed Chief Technology Officer in January 2022, Bosworth today oversees Meta's investment in foundational technologies like AI, AR/VR, and wearable computing. He is a key driver of Meta's efforts to evolve from a social media company to a platform for spatial and intelligent computing. His recent commissioning into the US Army Reserve's Executive Innovation Corps as a lieutenant colonel reflects a growing recognition that defense transformation requires private-sector technologists with deep operating experience. Bosworth's unique combination of frontline sales, engineering discipline, and executive leadership makes him one of the rare technologists equally comfortable pitching products and building platforms that touch billions. Kevin Weil: from Twitter visionary to OpenAI's Product Strategist Kevin Weil serves as Chief Product Officer at OpenAI, bringing over a decade of experience building consumer-scale products at the intersection of data, design, and emerging technology. At OpenAI, he leads the development and delivery of AI tools like ChatGPT and the OpenAI API, helping shape how billions will interact with artificial intelligence. Also read: Drone disaster? Famed U.S. Army faces backlash as ... Weil graduated from Harvard with a degree in physics and began his career as a software engineer. He rose to prominence during his tenure at Twitter, where he served as SVP of Product, helping shape its core timeline and ads platform during a period of exponential user growth. His product leadership was marked by an emphasis on simplicity, velocity, and impact. He later held executive roles at Instagram, where he helped build Stories and explore new formats, and at Facebook's blockchain initiative, Novi. At each stop, Weil's focus has been on making cutting-edge tech accessible, intuitive, and scalable for everyday users. At OpenAI, he is responsible for translating advanced research into widely-used products. Under his guidance, the company has rapidly expanded access to AI systems through partnerships, developer platforms, and consumer apps. His product instincts play a key role in how OpenAI balances innovation with responsible deployment. Weil was recently commissioned into the US Army Reserve as part of the Executive Innovation Corps. His inclusion signals the military's intent to work with product thinkers capable of rapid iteration, interface design, and aligning advanced technology with real-world usability. Bob McGrew: from OpenAI research to strategic AI advising Bob McGrew is an AI veteran whose work spans some of the most important frontiers of machine learning and safety. As the former Chief Research Officer at OpenAI, he led research programs focused on alignment, large language models, and responsible AI deployment efforts that helped lay the groundwork for tools like GPT-4 and reinforcement learning techniques. McGrew holds a Ph.D. in computer science from Stanford University, where his research focused on algorithmic game theory and computational economics. Before OpenAI, he worked at Facebook and other Silicon Valley labs where he applied ML at scale. At OpenAI, McGrew was instrumental in setting long-term research agendas and leading collaborations with academia, government, and other research institutions. He became known for his pragmatic approach to research translation: pushing theoretical work toward real-world impact. Now an advisor at Thinking Machines Lab, a Manila-based AI consultancy, McGrew focuses on building AI solutions for development, sustainability, and national resilience. His global perspective on AI's impact makes him a valuable bridge between frontier research and practical deployment. Recently, McGrew joined the US Army Reserve's Executive Innovation Corps as a lieutenant colonel. His background in both technical research and ethical AI frameworks positions him to advise on military AI applications that are safe, explainable, and aligned with democratic values.
Business Insider
14-06-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Tech execs, Uncle Sam wants you for the US Army
Some of the US Army's latest recruits might be a little different from those you'd normally find rocking up to basic training. The Army announced Friday that it was establishing "Detachment 201," dubbed the "Executive Innovation Corps," to bridge what it called the "commercial-military tech gap" — and that some of Silicon Valley's top executives were among the first to enlist. In a press release, the Army said Shyam Sankar, CTO of Palantir, Andrew Bosworth, CTO of Meta, Kevin Weil, CPO of OpenAI, and Bob McGrew, advisor at Thinking Machines Lab, would be taking the rank of lieutenant colonel and serving as part-time technical experts in the new detachment. "Det. 201 is an effort to recruit senior tech executives to serve part-time in the Army Reserve as senior advisors," the Army said. "In this role they will work on targeted projects to help guide rapid and scalable tech solutions to complex problems. By bringing private-sector know-how into uniform, Det. 201 is supercharging efforts like the Army Transformation Initiative, which aims to make the force leaner, smarter, and more lethal." In an article published in The Free Press, Sankar, who has worked at Palantir since 2006, said the quartet would focus on finding solutions to the Army's "most ambitious transformation efforts, including accelerating outcomes in human-machine integrated formations, hypersonics, and recruiting and mentoring world-class talent." He also praised what he said was another step "in the right direction" in the US's efforts to counter global threats. "The drones are swarming today. Our adversaries aren't waiting for our acquisition cycles or deferring to our budget processes," he wrote. "They're building, iterating, and preparing for war." The Army's move comes as part of a wider push to transform the force and reimagine how it fights, trains, and procures equipment. The "Army Transformation Initiative," outlined in May, will see the Army "eliminate waste and obsolete programs" and focus on developing and integrating emerging technologies. Investors have been pouring cash into the defense tech industry since President Donald Trump returned to the White House. Trump has sought to revamp and modernize defense acquisitions since his return, helping fuel venture capital momentum. 2025 has already seen a number of huge deals, including maritime startup Saronic Technologies raising a $600 million Series C at a $4 billion valuation and Drone company Epirus securing a $250 million Series D.
Business Insider
14-06-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Meta, OpenAI, and Palantir (PLTR) Executives Join U.S. Army to Improve Military Tech
Top tech leaders from Meta (META), OpenAI, and Palantir (PLTR) are joining the Army Reserve as lieutenant colonels in a new unit called the 'Executive Innovation Corps,' known as Detachment 201, the Army announced Friday. The unit is part of a push to bring Silicon Valley expertise into the military. Among those being sworn in are Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth, OpenAI Chief Product Officer Kevin Weil, Palantir CTO Shyam Sankar, and Bob McGrew, an advisor at Thinking Machines and former OpenAI Chief Research Officer. Confident Investing Starts Here: Detachment 201 will let these tech leaders serve part-time as senior advisors in order to help the Army adopt advanced technologies quickly. The unit is designed to fuse cutting-edge commercial tech with military innovation, which will support projects like the Army Transformation Initiative that aims to modernize the force by using more efficient and scalable solutions. The program also allows executives to serve without leaving their day jobs, which could inspire more tech professionals to contribute in uniform. This initiative comes as the Army works to replace outdated systems and buy more commercial tech that can serve both military and civilian needs. Indeed, Meta is already partnering with defense firm Anduril on extended reality (XR) tools for soldiers. In addition, OpenAI's ChatGPT could be used to improve military productivity, while Palantir supplies AI-enabled hardware like the TITAN vehicle. The Army didn't say how fast Detachment 201 will expand, but this first wave of new members points to a growing collaboration between the tech industry and the military. Which Tech Stock Is the Better Buy?
