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

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. Timestamps: 0:00—Introduction 2:50—Why Wartime Speed Matters 5:20—Cutting Priorities to Six 7:22—Applied AI Across Defense 9:17—Commercial Models and Lock-In 14:39—Democratic Oversight and Guardrails 19:30—Fixing Procurement Bureaucracy 22:08—What Startups Must Deliver Read the full transcript here: https://www.a16z.news/s/podcast Resources: Follow Emil Michael on X: https://x.com/USWREMichael Follow David Ulevitch on X: https://x.com/davidu Stay Updated: If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to like, subscribe, and share with your friends! Find a16z on X: https://twitter.com/a16z Find a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z Listen to the a16z Show on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5bC65RDvs3oxnLyqqvkUYX Listen to the a16z Show on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a16z-podcast/id842818711 Follow our host: https://x.com/eriktorenberg Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see http://a16z.com/disclosures.

Emil MichaelguestDavid Ulevitchhost

Mar 13, 202626mWatch on YouTube ↗

EPISODE INFO

Released: March 13, 2026
Duration: 26m
Channel: a16z
Watch on YouTube: ▶ Open ↗

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

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. Timestamps: 0:00—Introduction 2:50—Why Wartime Speed Matters 5:20—Cutting Priorities to Six 7:22—Applied AI Across Defense 9:17—Commercial Models and Lock-In 14:39—Democratic Oversight and Guardrails 19:30—Fixing Procurement Bureaucracy 22:08—What Startups Must Deliver Read the full transcript here: https://www.a16z.news/s/podcast Resources: Follow Emil Michael on X: https://x.com/USWREMichael Follow David Ulevitch on X: https://x.com/davidu Stay Updated: If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to like, subscribe, and share with your friends! Find a16z on X: https://twitter.com/a16z Find a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z Listen to the a16z Show on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5bC65RDvs3oxnLyqqvkUYX Listen to the a16z Show on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a16z-podcast/id842818711 Follow our host: https://x.com/eriktorenberg Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see http://a16z.com/disclosures.

SPEAKERS

Emil Michael
guest
Technology executive and government official; featured guest discussing his CTO role driving AI adoption and procurement reform in the U.S. defense establishment.
David Ulevitch
host
a16z host and investor interviewing Emil Michael about defense/DoD AI modernization and startup collaboration.

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of a16z, featuring Emil Michael and David Ulevitch, Emil Michael: The Department of War Is Moving Faster Than Silicon Valley on AI | The a16z Show explores defense AI adoption needs wartime speed, democratic control, vendor diversity Michael argues the post–Cold War “peacetime speed” and industry consolidation left the U.S. needing rapid re-domestication of critical supply chains and faster modernization to meet China’s buildup.

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