Musk warns AI and drones will dominate future wars. Here's why it matters

Tech billionaire Elon Musk believes the future of warfare will be dominated by artificial intelligence and drones. In a newly released video of his talk last summer at the US Military Academy in West Point, New York, Musk shared his insights on how modern conflicts are evolving.

 

"The current war in Ukraine is very much a drone war already," said Musk, 53, who leads Tesla Inc and the social network X. "If there’s a major power war, it’s very much going to be a drone war."

 

 

'America must invest in drone warfare'

 

Musk also emphasised the need for the US to accelerate domestic drone production, warning that countries often prepare for past wars rather than future ones. He was speaking in a fireside chat with Brigadier General Shane Reeves, the Military Academy’s Dean of the Academic Board, on August 16, 2024. He later shared the 40-minute conversation on X.

 

A self-proclaimed military history enthusiast, Musk urged national leaders to be proactive. "Countries pretty much are geared up to fight the last war, not the next war," he told an audience of military personnel.

 

Musk’s rising influence in Washington, DC

 

Musk's West Point appearance came just before he threw his full support behind Donald Trump’s re-election campaign. Since then, he has become a powerful figure in Washington, DC, leading efforts to reform the federal government through his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

 

Teams from DOGE have already started analysing federal agencies, scrutinizing data systems, and reviewing government spending. The initiative is part of Musk’s push to streamline bureaucracy and enhance efficiency.

 

Starlink: A game-changer for military communication

 

Musk also highlighted SpaceX’s critical role in global defense. Besides launching rockets for Nasa and other partners, the company's Starlink satellite network has become indispensable for Ukraine’s military operations.

 

"Starlink is the backbone of the Ukrainian military communications system because it can’t be blocked by the Russians," Musk said.

 

"On the front lines, all the fiber connections are cut, the cell towers are blown up, the geostationary satellite links are jammed. The only thing that isn’t jammed is Starlink," he added.

 

Musk’s formula for success

 

During his talk, Musk shared his first-principles algorithm, the framework he uses to run his empire of companies. The four steps are:

 

-Make the requirements less dumb

-Remove unnecessary parts or processes

-Optimise

-Go faster

 

He also noted that military procurement processes often become inefficient due to excessive initial requirements, which hinder progress.

 

(With Bloomberg inputs)