London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Oct 23, 2025

U.S. is ‘not prepared to defend or compete in the A.I. era,’ says expert group chaired by Eric Schmidt

U.S. is ‘not prepared to defend or compete in the A.I. era,’ says expert group chaired by Eric Schmidt

The U.S. is drastically underprepared for the age of AI, according to the National Security Commission on AI, which is chaired by Eric Schmidt.

The U.S. is drastically underprepared for the age of artificial intelligence, according to a group of experts chaired by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt.

The National Security Commission on AI warned in a 756-page report on Monday that China could soon replace the U.S. as the world's "AI superpower" and said there are serious military implications to consider.

"America is not prepared to defend or compete in the AI era," wrote Schmidt and vice chair Bob Work, who was previously deputy U.S. secretary of Defense. "This is the tough reality we must face."

The commission began its review in March 2019, and this is its final report for the president and Congress. The 15 members of the commission include technologists, national security professionals, business executives and academic leaders. Among them are Amazon's next CEO, Andy Jassy, Oracle CEO Safra Catz, Microsoft Chief Scientific Officer Eric Horvitz and Google Cloud AI chief Andrew Moore.

Schmidt and Work said the report presents a "strategy to defend against AI threats, responsibly employ AI for national security, and win the broader technology competition for the sake of our prosperity, security, and welfare."

A.I. to move beyond sci-fi


They warn that AI systems will be used in the "pursuit of power" and that "AI will not stay in the domain of superpowers or the realm of science fiction."

The report urges President Joe Biden to reject calls for a global ban on highly controversial AI-powered autonomous weapons, saying that China and Russia are unlikely to keep to any treaty they sign.

"We will not be able to defend against AI-enabled threats without ubiquitous AI capabilities and new warfighting paradigms," Schmidt and Work wrote.


Thousands of AI researchers and computer scientists signed an open letter that was published in 2015 and calls for a ban on offensive autonomous weapons.

"AI technology has reached a point where the deployment of such systems is — practically if not legally — feasible within years, not decades, and the stakes are high: autonomous weapons have been described as the third revolution in warfare, after gunpowder and nuclear arms," reads the letter, which was also signed by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and the late scientist Stephen Hawking.

Toby Walsh, a professor of AI at the University of Sydney, told CNBC the dangers have only "become nearer and more serious" since the letter was published. "Autonomous weapons must be regulated," he said.

The Future of Life Institute, a non-profit research institute in Boston, Massachusetts, said last month there are many positive military applications for AI but "delegating life and death decisions to autonomous weapon systems is not one of them."

The institute pointed out that autonomous drones could be used for reconnaissance missions to avoid putting troops in danger, while AI could also be used to power defensive anti-missile guns which detect, target, and destroy incoming threats without a human command. "Neither application involves a machine selecting and attacking humans without an operator's green light," it said.

Machine learning engineer Michael Lavelle told CNBC that there needs to be an international ban on AI decision making weaponry, similar to the convention on chemical weapons.

Samim Winiger, an AI researcher in Berlin, sees things differently, telling CNBC that AI weapons and killer robots will make today's weapons even more deadly.

"[Adopting AI weapons] is brutal insanity and everyone knows it, yet think tank staffers from DC to Beijing keep assuring us it's 'progress and necessary.'"

He added: "A real discussion around 'how AI can help to promote peace globally' is what is truly required — but you certainly won't find it on the agenda of Pentagon operatives or intelligence agency billionaires like the Eric Schmidts of the world."

China has stated that it wants to be a global leader in AI by 2030. The report's authors have said it is vital that the U.S. does all it can to eliminate the chance of this happening.

"We must win the AI competition that is intensifying strategic competition with China," said Schmidt and Work. "China's plans, resources, and progress should concern all Americans. We take seriously China's ambition to surpass the United States as the world's AI leader within a decade."

They added that China's domestic use of AI is "a chilling precedent for anyone around the world who cherishes individual liberty."

A.I. proposals


The commission calls on the U.S. government to more than double its AI research and development spending to $32 billion a year by 2026.

It also suggests establishing a new body to help the president guide the U.S.' wider AI policies, relaxing immigration laws for talented AI experts, creating a new university to train digitally skilled civil servants, and accelerating the adoption of new technologies by U.S. intelligence agencies.

The report also warns that the U.S. needs to do more to become self-reliant on computer chips and warns about the dangers of being so dependent on Taiwan's TSMC.

"Microelectronics power all AI, and the United States no longer manufactures the world's most sophisticated chips," wrote Schmidt and Work. "Given that the vast majority of cutting-edge chips are produced at a single plant separated by just 110 miles of water from our principal strategic competitor, we must reevaluate the meaning of supply chain resilience and security."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
US Administration Under President Donald Trump Reportedly Lifts Ban on Ukraine’s Use of Storm Shadow Missiles Against Russia
‘Frightening’ First Night in Prison for Sarkozy: Inmates Riot and Shout ‘Little Nicolas’
White House Announces No Imminent Summit Between Trump and Putin
US and Qatar Warn EU of Trade and Energy Risks from Tough Climate Regulation
Apple Challenges EU Digital Markets Act Crackdown in Landmark Court Battle
Nicolas Sarkozy begins five-year prison term at La Santé in Paris
Japan stocks surge to record as Sanae Takaichi becomes Prime Minister
This Is How the 'Heist of the Century' Was Carried Out at the Louvre in Seven Minutes: France Humiliated as Crown with 2,000 Diamonds Vanishes
China Warns UK of ‘Consequences’ After Delay to London Embassy Approval
France’s Wealthy Shift Billions to Luxembourg and Switzerland Amid Tax and Political Turmoil
"Sniper Position": Observation Post Targeting 'Air Force One' Found Before Trump’s Arrival in Florida
Shouting Match at the White House: 'Trump Cursed, Threw Maps, and Told Zelensky – "Putin Will Destroy You"'
Windows’ Own ‘Siri’ Has Arrived: You Can Now Talk to Your Computer
Thailand and Singapore Investigate Cambodian-Based Prince Group as U.S. and U.K. Sanctions Unfold
‘No Kings’ Protests Inflate Numbers — But History Shows Nations Collapse Without Strong Executive Power
Chinese Tech Giants Halt Stablecoin Launches After Beijing’s Regulatory Intervention
Manhattan Jury Holds BNP Paribas Liable for Enabling Sudanese Government Abuses
Trump Orders Immediate Release of Former Congressman George Santos After Commuting Prison Sentence
S&P Downgrades France’s Credit Rating, Citing Soaring Debt and Political Instability
Ofcom Rules BBC’s Gaza Documentary ‘Materially Misleading’ Over Narrator’s Hamas Ties
Diane Keaton’s Cause of Death Revealed as Pneumonia, Family Confirms
Former Lostprophets Frontman Ian Watkins Stabbed to Death in British Prison
"The Tsunami Is Coming, and It’s Massive": The World’s Richest Man Unveils a New AI Vision
Outsider, Heroine, Trailblazer: Diane Keaton Was Always a Little Strange — and Forever One of a Kind
Dramatic Development in the Death of 'Mango' Founder: Billionaire's Son Suspected of Murder
Two Years of Darkness: The Harrowing Testimonies of Israeli Hostages Emerging From Gaza Captivity
EU Moves to Use Frozen Russian Assets to Buy U.S. Weapons for Ukraine
Europe Emerges as the Biggest Casualty in U.S.-China Rare Earth Rivalry
HSBC Confronts Strategic Crossroads as NAB Seeks Only Retail Arm in Australia Exit
U.S. Chamber Sues Trump Over $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee
Shenzhen Expo Spotlights China’s Quantum Step in Semiconductor Self-Reliance
China Accelerates to the Forefront in Global Nuclear Fusion Race
Yachts, Private Jets, and a Picasso Painting: Exposed as 'One of the Largest Frauds in History'
Australia’s Wedgetail Spies Aid NATO Response as Russian MiGs Breach Estonian Airspace
McGowan Urges Chalmers to Cut Spending Over Tax Hike to Close $20 Billion Budget Gap
Victoria Orders Review of Transgender Prison Placement Amid Safety Concerns for Female Inmates
U.S. Treasury Mobilises New $20 Billion Debt Facility to Stabilise Argentina
French Business Leaders Decry Budget as Macron’s Pro-Enterprise Promise Undermined
Trump Claims Modi Pledged India Would End Russian Oil Imports Amid U.S. Tariff Pressure
Surging AI Startup Valuations Fuel Bubble Concerns Among Top Investors
Australian Punter Archie Wilson Tears Up During Nebraska Press Conference, Sparking Conversation on Male Vulnerability
Australia Confirms U.S. Access to Upgraded Submarine Shipyard Under AUKUS Deal
“Firepower” Promised for Ukraine as NATO Ministers Meet — But U.S. Tomahawks Remain Undecided
Brands Confront New Dilemma as Extremists Adopt Fashion Labels
The Sydney Sweeney and Jeans Storm: “The Outcome Surpassed Our Wildest Dreams”
Erika Kirk Delivers Moving Tribute at White House as Trump Awards Charlie Presidential Medal of Freedom
British Food Influencer ‘Big John’ Detained in Australia After Visa Dispute
ScamBodia: The Chinese Fraud Empire Shielded by Cambodia’s Ruling Elite
French PM Suspends Macron’s Pension Reform Until After 2027 in Bid to Stabilize Government
Orange, Bouygues and Free Make €17 Billion Bid for Drahi’s Altice France Telecom Assets
×