The Trajectory Drew Cukor - AI Adoption as a National Security Priority (US-China AGI Relations, Episode 3)
Sep 19, 2025
Drew Cukor, a former USMC colonel and AI strategist, shares his insights on the national security implications of AI in the US-China relationship. He emphasizes that the race isn't won by technological barriers but by societal adoption of AI across all sectors. Cukor discusses the stark differences in how the US and China approach AI, advocating for a proactive strategy over mere defensive measures. He warns that failing to adopt effectively could weaken America's global economic standing, making a compelling case for integrating AI into military strategies and everyday life.
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Adoption Beats Raw Tech In The AI Race
- Drew Cukor argues adoption is the decisive factor in the US-China AI competition, not just model performance or IP controls.
- A civilization that fully integrates AI across daily life, industry, and government will set the global tempo.
From Project Maven To China For Inspiration
- Drew recounts Project Maven and visits to US companies in 2016 to illustrate early inspiration for military AI adoption.
- He contrasts that with reporting that today you'd go to China to see a fully AI-enabled society, not the US.
Emergent Culture From Wide AI Use
- Rapid, broad adoption creates collisions between sectors that forge a new human-machine culture and accelerate capability synthesis.
- That emergent culture yields systemic advantages across finance, retail, and infrastructure.
