Eric Schmidt's New Venture 'White Stork' Targets AI-Enhanced Combat Drones

Eric Schmidt, former CEO of Google, has undertaken a new and ambitious project in the defense sector. His latest venture, codenamed 'White Stork', is a military startup with the goal of developing advanced combat drones. These unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are conceptualized to possess AI capabilities, potentially aligning with the category of 'kamikaze' attack drones known for their lethal precision and single-use deployment. Schmidt's involvement signifies a significant foray into a highly specialized area of military technology.

The Emergence of White Stork

The project, while under a cloak of discretion, leverages the expertise of engineers and technologists in both the U.S. and Ukraine. Eschewing a straightforward corporate structure, White Stork has been meticulously crafted within a complex array of limited liability companies (LLCs), likely as a strategic move to manage privacy, intellectual property, and governmental collaborations. This intricate setup is indicative of the serious nature of developing technology that could profoundly impact modern warfare.

Ties to Alphabet Inc

While White Stork operates independently of Alphabet Inc, the connection to Eric Schmidt, an instrumental figure in Alphabet and its subsidiary Google, makes the undertaking noteworthy. Alphabet Inc GOOG, the parent company to Google and numerous other subsidiaries, has demonstrated its expansive reach across various sectors, from digital services to cutting-edge technology. Although Alphabet itself is not directly linked to the White Stork initiative, its overarching presence in the technology industry creates an interesting backdrop to Schmidt's military tech ambitions.

Schmidt, drones, AI