Mark Cuban warns US must win AI race ‘or lose everything’

In an interview on CNBC on Thursday, he was asked if the federal government’s prioritization of certain investments as part of an industrial policy was a mistake.

“Our military dominance, our place in the world depends on our ability to invest in AI. Period. End of story,” he said. “Whoever wins the AI ​​has the best army. There’s no doubt about that.”

While private companies and the Department of Defense are investing in artificial intelligence, it’s not enough yet, and more needs to be done, Cuban added.

The pillars of America’s geopolitical and financial strength will depend on the outcome of the AI ​​race.

“We cannot lose that battle or we lose everything,” he warned. “That defines our currency. It defines how we compete in the world. It defines our military. So investing in that is essential.”

The comments come as Vice President Kamala Harris, whose presidential campaign has Cuban support, offered more details about her economic agenda.

In a speech in Pittsburgh on Wednesday, she called for more investment in key industries like semiconductors and clean energy. Cuban later praised the speech and also emphasized the importance of AI to the US military.

“She talked, most importantly to me, she talked about new technologies and the promotion of AI,” he told the Washington Post. “You can talk about the military all you want, but if we don’t have the best AI in the universe, we’re in trouble.”

Meanwhile, Silicon Valley venture capital firms are paying more attention to the emerging field of defense technology. Last month, startup incubator Y Combinator made its first investment in a weapons maker, Ares Industries, that promises to produce anti-ship missiles that are 10 times smaller and cheaper than those currently available.

And more established companies, such as data mining software maker Palantir, are becoming a mainstream investment as more governments, militaries and companies deploy their AI-powered platforms.

The impact of artificial intelligence on the military has also appeared on the radar of former Google CEO Eric Schmidt. In a commentary published last month with former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley, they warned that the US is unprepared for the wars of the future as adversaries such as Russia and China invest in new technologies.

Rather than planes, ships and tanks, future conflicts will be dominated by autonomous weapons systems and powerful algorithms, they added.

“The country needs to reform the structure of its armed forces,” Milley and Schmidt wrote. “The US military must reform its tactics and leadership development. It needs new ways to procure equipment. They have to buy new types of equipment. And they need to better train soldiers to operate drones and use AI.”

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