Founder of Shield AI discusses topics such as mortality, drone usage in Ukraine, and the controversial AI weapon.

Approximately two months ago, Shield AI co-founder Brandon Tseng and one of his colleagues found themselves in an Uber navigating through Kyiv, Ukraine. They were en route to a meeting with military officials to present their AI pilot systems and drones when his colleague alerted him to a warning on his phone – Russian bombs were on their way. Tseng, a former Navy SEAL, remained unfazed by the potential danger, stating, “If it’s your time to go, then it’s your time to go.”

Tseng embodies the typical quiet macho attitude prevalent among most defense tech founders. During a visit to the company’s Arlington office, Tseng proudly displayed a knife engraved with the SEAL motto “Suffer in silence” and the office walls were adorned with slogans like “Do what honor dictates” and “Earn your shield every day.” Despite the intensity of these messages, Tseng nonchalantly brushed off any concerns.

In 2015, Tseng, along with his brother Ryan Tseng, established Shield AI with a clear goal in mind: to develop the world’s best AI pilot and distribute it to a million customers. With substantial investments from backers like Riot Ventures and the U.S. Innovative Technology Fund, the company focuses on creating AI software for autonomous air vehicles and aims to expand into underwater and surface systems. Additionally, Shield AI offers hardware products such as the V-BAT drone.

Shield AI stands out among defense tech startups by securing significant government contracts, including a $198 million deal with the Coast Guard. Positioned for a promising future, the founders selected a new office space located near three floors occupied by Raytheon, a major defense contractor.

### Ukraine: The Testing Ground for U.S. Defense Tech Startups

The shifting dynamics were evident on September 16 when members of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee assembled at UC Santa Cruz’s Silicon Valley campus, joined by tech and VC heavyweights like Palantir CTO Shyam Sankar and Brandon Tseng. The focus of the gathering revolved around U.S. Department of Defense acquisition reform and the role of American technology in Ukraine. This marked the committee’s first public hearing outside of Washington, D.C., in over a decade. Ukraine has become a crucial testing ground for defense tech founders like Tseng, who emphasized the importance of developing technologies that prove effective in real battlefield scenarios.

### Terminator-like AI Weapons? Or a Scenario from ‘Ender’s Game’?

Tseng’s office consists of minimal decor, with a framed copy of the Declaration of Independence hanging slightly askew on the wall, serving as a reminder of the values he aspires to uphold. Reflecting on the history of warfare, Tseng highlighted the role of radical technological advancements like the atom bomb, stealth technology, and GPS in shaping deterrence strategies. He believes that AI will play a pivotal role in the future of deterrence, provided that the Department of Defense allocates sufficient funding for its development. Private companies are investing substantial resources in AI and autonomy, surpassing the collective amount allocated in the defense budget, signaling a new era in defense technology.
According to a report by the Brookings Institution, the potential value of AI-related federal contracts skyrocketed to $4.6 billion in 2023 from $335 million in 2022. This growth, however, pales in comparison to the over $70 billion that venture capitalists invested in defense technology during a similar period, as reported by PitchBook.

The Ethics of Military AI Use

The main concern surrounding the use of military AI is not its budget, but rather its ethics. There is an ongoing debate among founders and policymakers regarding the allowance of completely autonomous weapons, where the AI itself makes the decision of when to engage in lethal actions. Some founders have shown a willingness to build such weapons, raising ethical questions.

For instance, Luckey from Anduril recently suggested that there is a covert campaign within the United Nations by adversaries to discourage Western countries from aggressively pursuing AI. He compared fully autonomous AI to land mines, without acknowledging that over 160 nations, including the U.S., have agreed to ban anti-personnel land mines in most situations.

The Opposition to Fully Autonomous Weapons

Tseng, from Shield AI, firmly opposes the development of fully autonomous weapons. He believes that the decision to use lethal force on the battlefield should always remain a human one. Despite the U.S. military not currently procuring fully autonomous weapons, there are no restrictions on companies developing them. Tseng considers the possibility of the U.S. changing its stance on this matter as unlikely.

The Future of Military AI

Tseng envisions a future where a single person could effectively control a vast number of drones on the battlefield. He likens this scenario to “Ender’s Game,” where a child military officer commands space armies with ease. In this future, instead of human soldiers, robots would carry out these commands.