Eric Schmidt

Eric Schmidt has long been one of the most influential voices on AI policy in Washington, working to strengthen ties between Silicon Valley and the U.S. government, particularly the Pentagon. A veteran tech executive who served as Google’s CEO from 2001 to 2011, Schmidt believes that the U.S. needs an "Apollo program for the age of AI” in order to win the high-stakes tech race against China.

Backed by a fortune of over $20 billion, he has spent the past decade pushing for greater urgency when it comes to the U.S. government's adoption of emerging technologies, public investment in AI innovation, and partnerships with the private sector. Unless the U.S. speeds up its procurement process, bolsters AI research, and competes for tech talent, Schmidt warns, it risks falling behind China in the AI race.

After serving as the chairman of the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence, in 2021 Schmidt launched the Special Competitive Studies Project, a nonprofit focused on sustaining America's competitive edge in the AI sector. The group, which Schmidt chairs and partly funds, hosted its inaugural "AI Expo for National Competitiveness" earlier this year, drawing thousands of tech workers, executives, and government officials.

At the same time, Schmidt himself has been investing in a range of AI-related ventures, especially emerging battlefield technology. He is one of the top investors in a Ukrainian military startup accelerator called D3 (Dare to Defend Democracy) and in January it was reported that he had quietly launched a startup to develop AI-powered "kamikaze" attack drones.