AI Drone Swarms And Autonomous Vessels: Palantir Co-Founder Warns How Warfare Is About To Change Forever

By Tyler Durden

Billionaire venture capitalist Joe Lonsdale is urging for a shift in U.S. military strategy, criticizing the costly, failed attempts to rebuild nations like Afghanistan while championing tech-driven solutions.

Lonsdale, a co-founder of Palantir and investor in Anduril Industries, told podcast host Dave Rubin this week that he envisions a future where autonomous weaponized vessels, AI-powered drones, and microwave-based defense systems replace traditional combat, minimizing risk and maximizing efficiency. Lonsdale argued these innovations can protect American interests without spilling the blood of U.S. troops.

.@JTLonsdale Predicts The Future of Warfare: AI Drone Swarms, Autonomous Vessels, and Microwave Weapons

"We wasted a ton of money in Afghanistan. I think we had stupid adventures. I was very for our technology helping fight and kill thousands of terrorists. I was very for… pic.twitter.com/ZADkbRs9ri

— CAPITAL (@capitalnewshq) December 22, 2024

DAVE RUBIN: Do you think technology can solve our [national security] problems? Wars are going to look very, very different from now. Even from what they look like right now.

JOE LONSDALE: This is a big thing. I think we wasted a ton of money in Afghanistan. I think we had stupid adventures. I was very for our technology helping fight and kill thousands of terrorists. I was very for eliminating the bad guys. I was very against putting trillions of dollars into these areas to try to rebuild a broken civilization, which is not our job to do. We should have been building our civilization. I’m very pro-America, but part of being pro-America is fighting these wars without sacrificing American lives and keeping people very scared of us so that we don’t have to fight, and they do what they’re supposed to do. We have a bunch of companies right now that are kind of replacing the way the primes work. And so, for example, in the water, you want to have thousands or tens of thousands of smart and enabled autonomous weaponized vessels of different sorts that coordinate together. That’s what you want. And then, on the land, you know, we sent 31 tanks to Ukraine, and 20 destroyed.

For the same cost or even less, you could have sent 10,000 tiny little vehicles that are smart, have weapons on the fight, and are coordinated. There are all these new ways you can use mass production with advanced manufacturing and AI, and you don’t put American lives at risk. You turn the bad guys, and for much cheaper, you can do it.

Then the other one is really cool, just mentioned, we have the enemy also has, like, you see China where they fly hundreds of thousands of drones. It’s crazy. So we have something called Epirus, which is now deployed. It’s like a force field, but it’s a burst of microwave radiation in a cone. We can turn off hundreds of drones per shot from miles away.

The US has spent upwards of $2 million per unit to defeat drones that cost hundreds to thousands. Drones are easily mass-produced, while the US kinetic arsenal can face years-long lead times. Leonidas costs pennies per kill, is ready for production now and its magazine is… pic.twitter.com/kGRRf0IdEN

— Epirus (@epirus) November 1, 2024

DAVE RUBIN: That seems like sort of the next version of the Iron Dome or something in some sense.

JOE LONSDALE: It’s a little bit like Star Trek. But you need these sorts of things to fight back, rather than waste million-dollar missiles to shoot down one of these drones. And there are so many of them. What you need is electronic warfare. So there are all sorts of new things we’re doing that are really cool and taking the best of Silicon Valley, combining with the best, and by the way, who doesn’t want a really great shield? This is a great thing for civilization that it’s easier to build shields now. So there’s things like this we need to be doing.

Meanwhile, as RealClearDefense notes, this is approaching Terminator shit…

AI’s role in maritime warfare brings additional strategic risks. Autonomous systems and decision-making platforms could alter the nature of naval conflicts, making engagements faster and less predictable. This heightens the risk of escalation in already tense regions, such as the South China Sea. Misidentifications or unintended actions by AI systems could spark conflicts, and the absence of international agreements on the use of AI in military applications increases the potential for miscalculations. For example, an AI-powered naval drone could perceive a civilian or non-threatening vessel as hostile, prompting unnecessary or disproportionate responses. Such incidents could trigger a chain reaction in high-tension regions, potentially drawing major powers into conflict.

On a broader strategic level, AI is altering the balance of power in maritime security. Nations with advanced AI capabilities have a distinct advantage, as they can integrate sophisticated technologies into their maritime operations, creating a technological gap between themselves and less-developed states. This disparity could lead to a concentration of power among a few dominant nations, undermining collective maritime security efforts. Additionally, adversaries with access to AI capabilities, such as autonomous naval vessels or intelligent cyberattack platforms, could challenge the dominance of traditionally superior navies, leveling the playing field in asymmetric conflicts.

AI also has strategic implications for economic security. Global supply chains rely heavily on the safe and efficient movement of goods across oceans, and disruptions in maritime security could have severe economic repercussions. AI-powered systems that enhance port operations and maritime logistics can mitigate these risks, but their growing reliance on interconnected digital networks introduces vulnerabilities that adversaries could exploit. A targeted cyberattack on a major port or shipping lane could not only disrupt trade but also destabilize regional economies and create ripple effects in the global market.

The integration of AI into maritime security raises ethical and legal concerns. Accountability for decisions made by AI systems is a critical issue, particularly in incidents involving autonomous vessels or weaponized platforms. Determining responsibility in the event of an error or failure becomes challenging when human oversight is minimal. Moreover, the unequal access to AI technologies could exacerbate disparities in maritime security, leaving smaller nations at a disadvantage compared to technologically advanced powers. These challenges could undermine trust among allies and weaken collaborative efforts to ensure maritime stability.

This is nothing. In a few years, that bot will move so fast you’ll need a strobe light to see it. Sweet dreams… https://t.co/0MYNixQXMw

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 26, 2017

Watch the entire interview below (discussion on combat begins at 35:30):