This chapter examines the shift in military technology towards modernization and the Pentagon's Defense Innovation Unit, Unit X, which seeks to incorporate consumer tech into defense strategies. It also discusses the role of venture capitalism in transforming military development and its impact on contemporary warfare.
Within the Pentagon, there’s an elite unit dedicated to bringing Silicon Valley innovation to slow-moving Washington. It’s called Unit X.
Chris Kirchoff and Raj Shah are the two men who built that unit. They join Ricky Mulvey for a conversation on the changing defense landscape and what it’s like to bring a venture capital mindset to bureaucrats. They also discuss:
- What it’s like to disrupt Washington’s “primes”
- Supersonic drones, EVOTLs, and
- How investors and lawmakers can distinguish “statistical techniques” from genuine AI
Companies mentioned: NOC, BA, GOOG, GOOGL, JOBY, PLTR, TSM
Host: Ricky Mulvey
Guest: Christopher Kirchoff, Raj Shah
Producer: Mary Long
Engineer: Tim Sparks
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