Former Google CEO’s company launches revolutionary AI drone project for Ukraine
Ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt has recently been linked to a new startup called White Stork, which means “White Stork” in English. This project develops unmanned kamikaze drones using artificial intelligence.
According to rumors, the ex-head of the American tech giant operates through front companies and aims to provide Ukraine with advanced developments to use in the confrontation with the aggressor country.
Schmidt, an experienced industry representative, served for some time as the head of the US National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence after leaving the Google position. In 2021, the commission presented a report that highlighted the decisive impact of AI on warfare in all areas without exception. This was the thesis used in the creation of The White Stork.
The cost of White Stork is about $400 per piece. This de facto penny drone is capable of carrying explosives, according to the Wall Street Journal’s “military” column. According to the experts interviewed by the publication, inexpensive UAVs of this model can play the role of the “most important” weapon against Russia in the medium term.
The article also suggests vested interests, pointing to a recent publication by Schmidt in which he predicts that Ukraine will be dependent on millions of imported drones by 2024. The project’s opacity is further complicated by the use of shell companies, including one that lists Schmidt as a beneficiary.
Sebastian Thrun, one of the founding fathers of the Google X experimental laboratory, has also joined the White Stork project team, which is a positive signal for Ukraine.
