Subvolts take See how the US military uses generative AI for national security and industrial base rebuilding. Jan 15, 2026 - Developers
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This interview provides a direct look at how a major government department is implementing advanced AI for strategic purposes.
AI and the Future of Warfare with US Under Secretary of War Emil Michael
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From Subvolts
Summary and analysis by Subvolts editorial, AI-assisted.
No Priors hosts Sarah Guo and Elad Gil interview Emil Michael, the US Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering. They discuss the Department of War's deployment of generative AI, including the GenAI.mil platform, to maintain a strategic edge. Topics include hypersonics, drone swarms, and rebuilding the defense industrial base.
The US military is using new AI tools, like a special internal website called GenAI.mil, to help its employees and stay ahead of other countries. This helps them work on advanced technologies like fast missiles and robot drone groups.
This episode offers insight into how a major government entity is integrating generative AI for national security. It's for policymakers, defense contractors, and AI strategists interested in the practical application of AI beyond consumer products. The discussion on GenAI.mil, powered by Gemini and Grok, connects directly to the large-scale enterprise adoption strategies being explored by frontier AI labs.
- HostSarah Guo
- HostElad Gil
- GuestEmil MichaelUnder Secretary of War for Research and Engineering, United States Department of War
- Guest: Emil Michael, Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering
- Show: No Priors
- Length: 45 minutes
- GenAI.mil Users: Over one million unique users in its first 30 days
- Technology Priorities: Hypersonics, direct energy, autonomous drone swarms
Today’s arms race looks a little different from those of the past. Under the Trump administration, the US Department of War (DoW) is deploying generative AI to millions of employees in order to maintain a strategic edge over our global adversaries. Sarah Guo and Elad Gil sit down with Emil Michael, the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering of the United States, to discuss the radical technological transformation of the US military. Emil outlines the architecture and launch of GenAI.mil, a DoW internal AI platform powered by Gemini and Grok that reached over one million unique users in its first 30 days. He also highlights critical technology priorities for national security, including hypersonics, direct energy, and autonomous drone swarms. Together, they also explore the urgent need to rebuild the American defense industrial base and end dependency on foreign supply chains for critical materials, as well as how Emil is recruiting the next generation of “fixer-builder” workers to serve their country in government.
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Chapters:
00:00 – Cold Open
00:00 – Emil Michael Introduction
00:58 – Emil’s Role at the Department of War
05:22 – Innovation Priorities for the DoW
08:27 – Shift Toward Autonomous Defense Technologies
10:41 – Identifying Common Needs Across the DoW
12:02 – Architecting GenAI.mil
13:48 – Applied AI Initiatives at the DoW
15:57 – The Future of Warfare
17:55 – Recruiting for DoW
19:33 – Arsenal of Freedom Tour
22:25 – Opportunities for Entrepreneurs at DoW
25:49 – Speeding Up and Scaling DoW Initiatives
28:37 – Innovation in Defense Tech
30:00 – Change Management in Government
32:09 – Rebuilding the Defense Industrial Base
37:27 – Initiatives and Opportunities at the Office of Strategic Capital
41:41 – Lessons from Emil’s Government Experience
44:30 – Conclusion
- generative AI
- Emil Michael
- AI that can create new content like text or images
- hypersonics
- Emil Michael
- Weapons that travel at speeds over five times the speed of sound
- direct energy
- Emil Michael
- Weapons that use focused energy, like lasers or microwaves
- autonomous drone swarms
- Emil Michael
- Groups of drones that can work together without constant human control
39 min1 h 1136 minSame guests, other shows
Questions people ask
- What is GenAI.mil?
- GenAI.mil is an internal AI platform for the US Department of War, powered by Gemini and Grok, which reached over one million users in its first 30 days.
- What are the US military's technology priorities?
- Critical technology priorities for national security include hypersonics, direct energy, and autonomous drone swarms.
Page generated Oct 19, 2026. Summaries are Subvolts' own; the audio, artwork and notes belong to Conviction.