Emil Michael is the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering at the Pentagon. Michael joins Big Technology to discuss how AI is transforming the Department of War, from targeting systems to drone warfare to cyber defense. Tune in to hear his account of why the Pentagon designated Anthropic a supply chain risk, what actually happened in the contract negotiations, and whether the decision was wise. We also cover how the military's Maven Smart System works in practice, what the U.S. learned from drone warfare in Ukraine and Iran, and whether the Pentagon Pizza Index is credible. Hit play for one of the most candid conversations you'll hear about AI and national security.
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Emil Michael went from scaling Uber across 600 cities to rewiring the world's largest military.
In the midst of the Pentagon-Silicon Valley debate, the now U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering opens up about what a real partnership demands from both sides.
He also shares how he's built three new entry points for defense tech companies, and why America's military is called the "Department of War" again.
Guest: Emil Michael, U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering
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This conversation with Emil Michael, undersecretary of defense for research and engineering and acting director of the Defense Innovation Unit, was recorded at the a16z American Dynamism Summit in Washington, D.C. Michael walks through how he inherited a department running 14 undefined technology priorities, cut them to six, and made applied AI number one. He also gives the first detailed account of why commercial AI contracts written under the previous administration created a vendor-lock crisis that put active military operations at risk.
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(0:00) The Besties welcome Under Secretary of War Emil Michael
(2:30) US war with Iran: Bigger picture and why now?
(13:16) Trump's new approach to warfare, AI, drones, rules of engagement
(28:39) Israel's role in the conflict, relationship with the US, Iron Beam
(37:24) Oil prices, Trump's maritime insurance play
(41:19) Pentagon vs Anthropic: Why Anthropic was labeled a supply-chain risk
(1:02:03) How to value Anthropic after its supply chain risk designation
(1:11:14) State of the US defense supply chain, the defense tech industry, DARPA, and China's military
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Referenced in the show:
https://x.com/chamath/status/2029584905831891069
https://polymarket.com/event/us-forces-enter-iran-by
https://polymarket.com/event/will-the-iranian-regime-fall-by-the-end-of-2026
https://x.com/chamath/status/2029416079781736844
https://x.com/USWREMichael/status/2029539950962626734
https://x.com/addyosmani/status/2029372736267805081
https://github.com/googleworkspace/cli
https://x.com/chamath/status/2029634071966666964
https://www.lloyds.com/about-lloyds/history/lloyds-buildings
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-03-05/pentagon-says-it-s-told-anthropic-the-firm-is-supply-chain-risk
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-03-03/anthropic-nears-20-billion-revenue-run-rate-amid-pentagon-feud
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
Emil Michael is the former chief business officer of Uber and the current chairman and CEO of DPCM Capital. Michael joins Big Technology Podcast to discuss what's happened to 'sharing economy' darlings Uber, Lyft, AirBNB, and more. With deep insight into these companies' business models, Michael breaks down how they've reacted to our shift away from a zero-interest rate environment, examining who might win — if anyone. Stay tuned for the second half where we discuss Michael's thoughts on the latest AI wave, and whether his hometown of Miami is really a budding tech hub.
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Emil Michael is the Former Chief Business Officer at Uber and is commonly referred to as Travis Kalanick's right-hand man. At Uber, Emil was instrumental in raising nearly $15BN from some of the largest investors in the world, making Uber the most valuable private tech company ever. Emil was also core to Uber's China strategy and led deals with Didi and Baidu. Before Uber, Emil spent 9 years at TellMe Networks where he was central to Microsoft raising their acquisition price from $300M to $800M. Emil is also an advisor to some of the greats including Raf @ GoPuff, Zach @ Codeacademy, Jared @ Fundera and many more.
In Todays Episode with Emil Michael:
1.) From Politics to Travis's right-hand man at Uber:
How did Emil make his way into the world of startups with TellMe networks?
Harvard, Stanford, Goldman, Politics, which career shaped Emil the most?
When Emil looks at his cohort of Ali and Hadi Partovi, Alfred Lin, and many others, what did they have that Emil believes is core to their success today?
2.) Negotiations 101: A Masterclass:
What is Emil's framework for dealmaking? How has it changed over time?
What are the single most important elements to remember when making deals?
What are the biggest mistakes people make when negotiating?
What is the right way to use leverage in negotiations?
How can one handle an opponent that is emotional or irrational when negotiating?
How did Emil make Steve Ballmer @ Microsoft increase his offer for TellMe from $300M to $800M?
What is the single deal that Emil made that he regrets the most?
3.) Uber: The Journey to the Most Valuable Private Company:
Why were Emil and Travis removed from Uber? Does Emil think it was fair?
Is it true that Travis lost the support of the team? How did his removal take place?
How did the Uber China deal go down with Didi? What got DiDi over the line on the deal?
How did Emil raise $3BN from Saudi in just 60 days with Travis needing to attend only one meeting?
4.) Uber: The Review:
How does Emil assess the management and performance of Uber CEO, Dara Khosrowshahi?
If Travis and Emil were still in charge, what would Emil have done differently?
Why does Emil think Dara and Uber have made a $30BN mistake in food delivery?
Why does Emil think Postmates, Careem, and others have been the worst acquisitions in tech?
5.) The Venture Landscape:
Emil entered the world of VC with Coatue, why did he decide that VC was not for him?
How does Emil analyze the VC landscape today? Who are risers? Who are fallers?
What are the single biggest points of misalignment between founder and VC?
What are the core improvements that Emil would like to see made to the VC world?
Items Mentioned in Today's Episode:
Emil's Favourite Book: Sun Tzu: The Art of War
Uber is facing a difficult moment amid the coronavirus pandemic. The service, built on the belief that people would forsake car ownership in favor of its ride hailing service, is watching many of its customers buy cars and stay home. The new trouble for Uber comes after the company worked to right itself after years of turbulence under ex-CEO Travis Kalanick’s leadership. Emil Michael, the former Uber chief business officer and confidant to Kalanick, joins the Big Technology Podcast to discuss Uber's business prospects, its culture, its current leadership, and its controversies.
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