From Europe’s bold satellite ambitions to counter Starlink’s dominance, to Google’s Sundar Pichai proposing an AI “Manhattan Project” under the next administration, competition for global tech leadership heats up! Meanwhile, the Pentagon is accelerating AI deployment to outpace adversaries, Congress is abuzz with drone regulation debates, and the FTC’s new leadership signals a sharp pivot on antitrust enforcement. Dive into the stories shaping the future of technology and policy, including insights from Fei-Fei Li on AI’s 3D future and the latest from Capitol Hill hearings on emerging tech governance.

In this week’s Nimitz Tech:

• Autonomous Weapons: The Pentagon’s new AI office is racing to outpace adversaries in the battle for autonomous military dominance.

• AI: Sundar Pichai envisions a U.S.-led AI "Manhattan Project" to outpace China in the global tech race.

• EU: Europe races to launch its satellite network to rival Starlink and secure "digital sovereignty."

WHO’S HAVING EVENTS THIS WEEK?

TECH NEWS DRIVING THE WEEK

In Washington

• The Defense Department has launched the Artificial Intelligence Rapid Capabilities Cell (AI RCC) to accelerate the adoption of AI technologies, focusing on generative AI, autonomous drones, and advanced command systems. Overseen by the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office, the initiative supports efforts like the Replicator program, which aims to deploy swarms of autonomous drones to counter global adversaries like China and Russia. With $100 million in funding for experimentation and scaling, the office will collaborate with cloud providers and small businesses to develop AI tools for real-world operations and enterprise functions. Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer Radha Plumb emphasized the urgency of the initiative, citing the need to maintain U.S. technological leadership and enhance both military lethality and efficiency in the face of accelerating AI adoption by rival nations.

• Amid rising concerns over unauthorized drone activity, lawmakers from both parties are calling for action to address the issue, which has caused disruptions such as airport closures and raised safety alarms nationwide. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer urged deploying federal technology and co-sponsoring legislation to empower local authorities, while representatives like Chrissy Houlahan and Andrew Garbarino pushed for expanded counter-drone systems in the ongoing budget talks. However, the discourse ranges from serious proposals to more questionable claims, such as Rep. Jeff Van Drew’s since-debunked comments about Iranian-controlled drones. While incidents like Saturday's arrests near Boston’s Logan Airport and rising complaints from organizations like the NFL underscore the growing problem, some sightings, as noted by Sen. Andy Kim, may turn out to be false alarms, fueling debate over the urgency and scope of the legislative response.

• President-elect Donald Trump has appointed FTC Commissioner Andrew Ferguson as the Federal Trade Commission's new chair, succeeding progressive leader Lina Khan. Ferguson, known for his tough stance on Big Tech, will oversee ongoing antitrust investigations and collaborate with Gail Slater, Trump’s pick for the Justice Department’s antitrust division, pending Senate confirmation. Trump also nominated antitrust lawyer Mark Meador, a former aide to Sen. Mike Lee, to fill the FTC’s third Republican seat, though Meador’s appointment requires Senate approval. Ferguson, whose confirmation was initially delayed due to concerns from Sen. Josh Hawley over ties to Mitch McConnell and views on Big Tech, has pledged to aggressively enforce antitrust laws, particularly targeting potential collusion to suppress free speech online. Despite a Republican leadership shakeup, Ferguson’s agenda may face early constraints due to the FTC’s lack of a Republican majority.

National

• Stanford professor and AI pioneer Fei-Fei Li, a central figure in the deep learning revolution with her groundbreaking ImageNet project, is now advancing spatial intelligence through her startup, World Labs. In her NeurIPS keynote, Li emphasized the importance of AI mastering 3D worlds for applications in robotics, design, medical imaging, and augmented reality. She described spatial intelligence as a critical step toward full-scale machine intelligence, highlighting challenges like maintaining object permanence and generating consistent environments. Li also stressed the need for public sector access to compute resources, advocating for initiatives like the National AI Research Resource. She predicts that AI’s ability to understand and interact with 3D environments will unlock unprecedented creativity and productivity within our lifetime.

• Alphabet and Google CEO Sundar Pichai has proposed a national AI initiative akin to the Manhattan Project, aiming to accelerate the U.S.’s leadership in artificial intelligence as President-elect Trump prepares to take office. Pichai highlighted the need for collaborative infrastructure projects to bolster innovation, echoing recent recommendations by the bipartisan U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, which emphasized AI as critical in the technological competition with China. Meanwhile, Google has launched its Gemini 2.0 AI model, advancing capabilities in multimodality and tool integration to create more sophisticated AI agents. Pichai emphasized that the foundation for AI progress is already in place, and closer cooperation with the incoming administration could further amplify these efforts, as evidenced by his anticipated meeting with Trump and his alignment with key policy directions.

International

• The European Commission has awarded contracts to advance IRIS, a €10.6 billion satellite constellation aimed at bolstering Europe's secure communications and competing with Elon Musk’s Starlink. Scheduled for full deployment by 2030, the network will include over 280 satellites to provide encrypted services for EU governments and public agencies while supporting commercial ventures. The project, Europe’s third major space initiative after Galileo and Copernicus, has faced delays due to industrial disputes and cost concerns, but Starlink's rapid expansion has pushed the EU to act swiftly. Although leading manufacturers Airbus and Thales Alenia Space stepped back from leadership roles over financial risks, they remain suppliers. IRIS² also faces competition from Amazon's Kuiper network and pressure to integrate cutting-edge AI. The European Space Agency will oversee the project, with operations based in Italy

FOR FUN

• 🎄Profs & Pints: How Dickens Reshaped Christmas | 6 p.m. | $17 | Penn Quarter

ADD TO THE NIMITZ NETWORK

Know someone else who would enjoy our updates? Feel free to forward them this email and have them subscribe here.

Additionally, if you are interested in our original publication on veterans affairs policy, check it out below: