The President’s Inbox Are We Ready? | The New Weapons of War, With Michael Horowitz
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Nov 5, 2025 
In this engaging discussion, Michael Horowitz, a political science professor at the University of Pennsylvania and expert on military technology, delves into how AI and emerging weaponry are transforming warfare. He highlights the concept of 'precise mass' and why adapting to these technologies is crucial for the Pentagon. Horowitz explains the historical context of military innovations, the importance of organizational capital, and how AI is set to revolutionize logistics and decision-making on the battlefield. He also raises concerns about human control in an era of increased autonomy.
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Era Of Precise Mass Warfare
- Warfare has entered an era of "precise mass": cheap precision-guided systems and autonomy are widely available.
- That diffusion changes battlefield dynamics by enabling many actors to strike accurately at lower cost.
Red Sea Cost-Exchange Example
- The Houthis used $20,000 drones effectively against U.S. ships while the U.S. countered with $2 million missiles.
- This stark cost-exchange illustrates how inexpensive systems can impose outsized costs on wealthier militaries.
Organizational Capital Matters Most
- Historical winners combine wealth with high organizational capital to adapt fast to new technologies.
- Falling behind often reflects bureaucratic inertia, not lack of resources or ideas.