The a16z Show

Why Speed, Not Size, Will Define the Next War

457 snips
Nov 1, 2025
Guest
Horacio Rozanski
Guest
Gary Shield
Horacio Rozanski, CEO of Booz Allen Hamilton, and Gary Shield, CEO of Shield AI, explore the future of warfare driven by technology and speed. They discuss lessons from Ukraine and Taiwan, highlighting the critical role of autonomy and rapid innovation in defense. The conversation emphasizes the importance of agile procurement and public–private partnerships in enhancing readiness. They also address challenges like supply chain vulnerabilities and the need for effective AI regulation in military contexts, making a case for a transformative approach to defense strategies.
Ask episode
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
INSIGHT

Speed Trumps Size In Modern War

  • Speed, not size, will decide future conflicts as technologies iterate quickly on the battlefield.
  • Horacio Rozanski argues that faster deployment and iteration beat bigger but slower platforms.
ANECDOTE

Taiwan Extends Service To Boost Readiness

  • Horacio Rozanski observed Taiwan extending the length of military service to improve training readiness.
  • He cites Taiwan's budget focus and technology spending as practical steps toward being ready.
ADVICE

Speed Up Government Procurement

  • Unlock procurement speed by reforming how the government buys technology and funding a broader set of suppliers.
  • Gary Shield says break procurement bottlenecks so the military can adopt innovations rapidly.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Get the app