Emil Michael

Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering and former COO of Uber.

101

Mentions

Appeared in

Discussed in

Key positions and views

The U.S. must achieve and maintain dominance in AI, promoting a global 'American AI stack' aligned with U.S. values as a counter to a censored Chinese alternative.

The Department of Defense must be able to use commercial technology for any lawful purpose, and cannot allow private tech companies like Anthropic to impose their own policy restrictions that could hinder military operations.

The U.S. has created critical national security vulnerabilities by over-outsourcing its industrial base and must urgently re-domesticate supply chains for key materials like critical minerals, batteries, and pharmaceuticals.

The Pentagon's procurement model must shift from prescriptive, cost-plus contracts to simpler, outcome-based requirements with firm-fixed-prices to foster innovation and enable new companies to compete with established primes.

China is engaged in the largest military buildup in world history, representing a significant threat that necessitates a rapid modernization of U.S. defense capabilities, particularly in AI, hypersonics, and autonomous systems.

Podcast consensus on Michael

Points of consensus

▶Multiple sources confirm Emil Michael's role as Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, where a key early action was reducing the number of critical technology areas from 14 to 6 to improve focus.Mar–Apr 2026

▶Across several podcast appearances, Michael consistently identifies "Applied AI" as the number one technology priority for the Department of War/Defense, emphasizing the adaptation of commercial models over in-house development.Mar–Apr 2026

▶Michael repeatedly frames the strategic context for his work as a response to China's massive military buildup, which he describes in multiple episodes as the largest in world history.Apr 2026

▶Sources consistently report on Michael's efforts to reform the defense procurement process, shifting from prescriptive requirements to outcome-based, fixed-price contracts to better engage with innovative companies.

Points of debate

▶There is a discrepancy in the reported budget for the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), with one claim stating it is approximately $1 billion and another citing it as approximately $2 billion.Mar 2026

▶Zvi Moschewicz characterizes Emil Michael as an "escalatory force" in the conflict with the AI company Anthropic, contrasting his approach with a more de-escalatory White House, while Michael frames his own position as a necessary defense against corporate policy overreach that creates national security risks.Apr 2026

▶The name of the department is inconsistently referred to as the "Department of Defense" and the "Department of War," with one claim suggesting the latter name was adopted to promote a "warrior ethos."Mar–Apr 2026

▶There is a minor inconsistency in the reported lending authority of the Office of Strategic Capital, with claims citing it as both "$200 billion" and a "couple hundred billion dollars."

Key themes

▶AI-Powered Defense ModernizationMar–Apr 2026

A central theme is Michael's aggressive push to integrate artificial intelligence across the Department of Defense. This involves making "Applied AI" the top technology priority, launching the GenAI.mil platform to 3 million employees, and dramatically increasing the number of personnel using AI tools.

Investors should note the DoD's strategy is not to compete with commercial AI labs but to be a primary, large-scale customer, creating significant opportunities for companies that can adapt foundation models for defense-specific applications.

▶Geopolitical Tech Race with ChinaMar 2026

Michael consistently frames US defense technology strategy as a direct response to a perceived existential threat from China. He highlights China's historic military buildup, theft of US AI models, and dominance over critical supply chains as the primary drivers for American policy.

This framing suggests that companies aligned with national security objectives, particularly in areas like domestic manufacturing and AI, will likely see continued policy support and government investment, regardless of broader market trends.

▶Revitalizing the American Defense Industrial Base

Michael advocates for rebuilding America's domestic manufacturing capabilities to reduce dependence on foreign adversaries for critical goods like minerals, batteries, and pharmaceuticals. This involves using financial instruments like the Office of Strategic Capital's lending authority and reforming procurement to foster a new generation of defense tech companies beyond the traditional primes.

Analysts should monitor the Office of Strategic Capital and programs like AppFit, as they represent significant, low-cost capital sources for companies in critical sectors, potentially de-risking investment in hardware and manufacturing startups.

▶Bridging Silicon Valley and the Pentagon

A key effort for Michael is to change the culture of the DoD to make it more accessible and attractive to the tech industry. This includes simplifying RFPs, providing faster decisions, and creating initiatives like the "US Tech Force" to recruit recent graduates for tours of service, aiming to infuse the department with commercial-sector talent and speed.

The success of these cultural and procedural reforms is a leading indicator for the defense tech sector; if the DoD can truly become a faster, more decisive customer, it will significantly lower the barrier to entry for startups.

Source episodes

Sentiment over time

Mar 2026

2 bullish, 7 bearish, 5 neutral(14 claims)

Emil Michael predicts that within 10 years, 20-30% of the Department of Defense ...

Apr 2026

1 bullish, 1 bearish, 3 neutral(5 claims)

Emil Michael stated he is a member of the Nuclear Weapons Council.

Changes over time

Pre-Government

Served as COO of Uber, overseeing a period of massive growth from ~100 to ~20,000 employees and from a few cities to over 500. During this time, he was involved in strategic investments in autonomous vehicle technology, including the acquisition of a robotics company from Carnegie Mellon.

Appointment

Appointed by the current administration as the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering.

Early Actions

Streamlined the Department of Defense's technology priorities by reducing the number of "critical technology areas" from 14 down to 6, with "Applied AI" designated as the number one priority.

AI Acceleration

Spearheaded a rapid expansion of AI adoption within the DoD, launching the GenAI.mil platform in 60 days. This initiative reportedly increased the number of AI users from 80,000 to 1.2 million in a 90-day period.

Industrial Base Focus

Utilized the Office of Strategic Capital to execute multiple deals aimed at re-shoring critical mineral supply chains and reducing dependency on China.

Policy Conflict

Became a central figure in a public conflict with AI company Anthropic over its restrictive usage policies, arguing that such limitations imposed by private companies on the military create unacceptable national security vulnerabilities.

Suggested prompts

How does Emil Michael's strategy for procurement reform balance the need for speed and innovation with the traditional requirements for accountability in government spending? &nearr;What are the potential long-term consequences of the Department of War's dependency on commercial "Frontier AI" models from a handful of private companies? &nearr;To what extent does Michael's framing of the US-China relationship as a zero-sum tech race risk creating self-fulfilling prophecies or escalating tensions? &nearr;How does Michael's experience at Uber, a company known for aggressive growth and disruption, inform his approach to transforming the bureaucracy of the Department of Defense? &nearr;

Key concepts

AI Adoption 5 ep US-China Competition 5 ep Procurement Reform 3 ep Defense Industrial Base 4 ep Critical Technology Areas 3 ep Hypersonic Weapons 2 ep Supply Chain Security 4 ep Office of Strategic Capital 3 ep Anthropic Conflict 2 ep Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) 2 ep

Notable quotes

“My job is to create five more companies that work in the department and bring new capabilities.”

Emil Michael · Inside the Myths: Emil Michael on Palantir, SpaceX, Anduril & the Modern DoW

“what I can't do is have any one company impose their own policy preferences on top of the laws and on top of my internal policies, which are pretty robust.”

Emil Michael · AI Policy Clash: Anthropic and the U.S. Government | DoW Emil Michael

“we're looking at the Chinese stealing American models, taking the guardrails off and potentially using those against us.”

Emil Michael · Emil Michael: The Department of War Is Moving Faster Than Silicon Valley on AI | The a16z Show

“in 10 years, it wouldn't surprise me if 20, 30 percent of the budget is spent on those kinds of systems”

Emil Michael · The Largest Untapped Market Inside U.S. Defense | Emil Michael

Report last updated: Apr 21, 2026

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