Latest news with #RelativitySpace
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ignore AI and risk becoming irrelevant, warns Eric Schmidt — 'Adopt it, and adopt it fast'
Eric Schmidt warned that anyone, from artists to doctors, who doesn't embrace AI will be left behind. The former Google CEO recently used AI to get up to speed quickly on a rocket company he bought. Schmidt warned that the pace of change could catch many off guard. Eric Schmidt thinks every worker, from CEOs to artists, needs to get to grips with AI — or risk being left behind. The former Google CEO argued in a recent TED interview that the speed of AI progress was forcing a fundamental shift in every job, from the arts to business to science. "Each and every one of you has a reason to use this technology," Schmidt said, referring to AI. "If you're an artist, a teacher, a physician, a businessperson, a technical person, if you're not using this technology, you're not going to be relevant compared to your peer groups and your competitors and the people who want to be successful. Adopt it, and adopt it fast." Schmidt, who ran Google from 2001 to 2011, says AI tools let anyone get up to speed in almost any field. He pointed to his recent decision to buy a rocket company despite knowing little about aerospace. "It's an area that I'm not an expert in, and I want to be an expert, so I'm using deep research," Schmidt said, who was named CEO at Relativity Space in March, a California rocket startup vying to compete with SpaceX. He said this kind of rapid learning was just the beginning. Schmidt pointed to studies that estimate AI could drive a "30% increase in productivity" annually — a jump so dramatic that "economists have no models for what that kind of increase looks like." While predicting that entire industries could be disrupted as AI simplifies or automates work, some professions will evolve rather than disappear in his view."Do you really think that we're going to get rid of lawyers? No, they're just going to have more sophisticated lawsuits," Schmidt said. The pace of change may catch many off guard: "As this stuff happens quicker, you will forget what was true two years ago or three years ago. That's the key thing. So my advice to you all is ride the wave, but ride it every day." When asked if he had any advice for those feeling overwhelmed by the pace of change, Schmidt, who now advises governments and startups on tech strategy, offered some perspective from his own experience. "One thing to remember is that this is a marathon, not a sprint," he said. "Every day you get up, and you just keep going." At the AI summit in Paris in February, Schmidt criticised Europe's AI laws as too strict but insisted that regulation was essential. "It's really important that governments understand what we're doing and keep their eye on us," he told BBC News. He's made similar warnings before, calling in December for "meaningful control" over military AI. Read the original article on Business Insider
Business Insider
17-05-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Ignore AI and risk becoming irrelevant, warns Eric Schmidt — 'Adopt it, and adopt it fast'
Eric Schmidt thinks every worker, from CEOs to artists, needs to get to grips with AI — or risk being left behind. The former Google CEO argued in a recent TED interview that the speed of AI progress was forcing a fundamental shift in every job, from the arts to business to science. "Each and every one of you has a reason to use this technology," Schmidt said, referring to AI. "If you're an artist, a teacher, a physician, a businessperson, a technical person, if you're not using this technology, you're not going to be relevant compared to your peer groups and your competitors and the people who want to be successful. Adopt it, and adopt it fast." Schmidt, who ran Google from 2001 to 2011, says AI tools let anyone get up to speed in almost any field. He pointed to his recent decision to buy a rocket company despite knowing little about aerospace. "It's an area that I'm not an expert in, and I want to be an expert, so I'm using deep research," Schmidt said, who was named CEO at Relativity Space in March, a California rocket startup vying to compete with SpaceX. He said this kind of rapid learning was just the beginning. Schmidt pointed to studies that estimate AI could drive a "30% increase in productivity" annually — a jump so dramatic that "economists have no models for what that kind of increase looks like." While predicting that entire industries could be disrupted as AI simplifies or automates work, some professions will evolve rather than disappear in his view. "Do you really think that we're going to get rid of lawyers? No, they're just going to have more sophisticated lawsuits," Schmidt said. 'Marathon, not a sprint' The pace of change may catch many off guard: "As this stuff happens quicker, you will forget what was true two years ago or three years ago. That's the key thing. So my advice to you all is ride the wave, but ride it every day." When asked if he had any advice for those feeling overwhelmed by the pace of change, Schmidt, who now advises governments and startups on tech strategy, offered some perspective from his own experience. "One thing to remember is that this is a marathon, not a sprint," he said. "Every day you get up, and you just keep going." At the AI summit in Paris in February, Schmidt criticised Europe's AI laws as too strict but insisted that regulation was essential. "It's really important that governments understand what we're doing and keep their eye on us," he told BBC News. He's made similar warnings before, calling in December for " meaningful control" over military AI.
Free Malaysia Today
08-05-2025
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Could there soon be data centres in space?
The Terran R launcher could one day be used to put data centres into orbit. (Relativity Space pic) PARIS : Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt recently took the helm of Relativity Space, a startup specialising in space launchers. His ambition is to one day place data centres directly into orbit, powered by solar energy, with the aim of alleviating their environmental footprint on Earth. A few weeks ago, Eric Schmidt warned of a possible future energy crisis at a hearing before the US Congress. According to him, the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) means that the share of data centre activity in global electricity consumption could rise from the current 3% to 99% in the future. In particular, he mentioned plans for data centres with a capacity of 10 gigawatts, almost 10 times the equivalent of a nuclear reactor. Indeed, a simple query on ChatGPT requires 10 times more resources than a search on a conventional search engine. Faced with these challenges, Eric Schmidt put forward the idea of placing dedicated infrastructure in orbit, powered by solar energy and cooled by the vacuum of space. This unique approach would reduce the environmental footprint of terrestrial data centres. Relativity Space made a name for itself by launching its very first 3D-printed rocket, the Terran 1, in 2023. The company is currently developing a more elaborate model, dubbed Terran R, scheduled for launch in late 2026. The idea is to make Terran R a reusable launcher for carrying medium and heavy loads, up to around 30 tonnes. Terran R is thus positioned as a direct competitor to SpaceX's Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy (led by Elon Musk) and Blue Origin's New Glenn (led by Jeff Bezos). It could therefore one day help launch future data centres into orbit. Although this somewhat outlandish project presents Relativity Space with a number of technical challenges, the initiative is positioned as an innovative solution to the future AI-induced energy crisis. Eric Schmidt's arrival at the startup is likely to attract attention and investors, in what is now an ultra-competitive sector that requires a great deal of funding. A report by the International Energy Agency (IEA), published in April, stated that by 2024, data centres would account for around 1.5% of the world's electricity consumption. This share is set to double by 2030, to equal Japan's total electricity consumption today.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt said Taiwan could use kamikaze boats to protect itself from a Chinese invasion
Ukraine has been using exploding Magura sea drones to attack Russia's naval fleet. Ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt said Taiwan could do something similar to protect itself against China. Schmidt said the boats act like "torpedoes" that could stop China from a land invasion of Taiwan. Former Google CEO-turned-"licensed arms dealer" Eric Schmidt believes Taiwan could take a page from the ongoing Ukraine war. At the Milken Institute Global Conference on Tuesday, Schmidt said the Ukraine-Russia war has fundamentally changed how wars are fought, as countries rely more on remote-controlled drones to fight their battles. Schmidt, who now leads Relativity Space, a rocket startup, said the recent conflict should push the US to rethink its assumptions around how Taiwan will defend itself against a potential invasion by China. "Do you really think that we're going to defend Taiwan with all of our aircraft carriers?" Schmidt said. "Let me remind you that we have no particularly good defenses against hypersonic missiles. Nobody has. It's a very hard problem. And those aircraft carriers used to be hard to find, but now they're easy to find because everybody has these LEO constellations for surveillance," he added, referring to low-earth orbit satellites. Schmidt said one way to deter China's option of leading a land invasion against the neighboring country is to use exploding sea drones similar to the ones Ukraine has been using against Russia's Black Sea Fleet. Ukraine has been using homemade, uncrewed multi-purpose surface vessels called Magura to stifle Russia's naval fleet, a major accomplishment considering Ukraine doesn't operate any warships in its navy. The Magura sea drones have multiple functions, including surveillance and reconnaissance, but they've also been used to take out a helicopter and slam into a Russian military speedboat. Schmidt said that a company could build similar boats that could "sink even a few feet below the water and then serve as the equivalent of torpedoes." "I don't run a company in this space, but I would build those boats, get the military to purchase them, and then stage them such that it would not allow for a land invasion by China of Taiwan," he said. "Take away one of their options. Easy." Schmidt has previously said that drones are the future of warfare. Forbes reported last year that the tech investor has been secretly testing AI-guided military drones on the front lines in Ukraine. "For thousands of years, we've had the notion of, stereotypically, a man and a gun fighting another man and a gun, with a horse or what have you," he said at the Milken panel. "We're now breaking that connection forever, because the war will be prosecuted over the internet in one form or another." Schmidt's representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Read the original article on Business Insider
Business Insider
07-05-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt said Taiwan could use kamikaze boats to protect itself from a Chinese invasion
Former Google CEO-turned-"licensed arms dealer" Eric Schmidt believes Taiwan could take a page from the ongoing Ukraine war. At the Milken Institute Global Conference on Tuesday, Schmidt said the Ukraine-Russia war has fundamentally changed how wars are fought, as countries rely more on remote-controlled drones to fight their battles. Schmidt, who now leads Relativity Space, a rocket startup, said the recent conflict should push the US to rethink its assumptions around how Taiwan will defend itself against a potential invasion by China. "Do you really think that we're going to defend Taiwan with all of our aircraft carriers?" Schmidt said. "Let me remind you that we have no particularly good defenses against hypersonic missiles. Nobody has. It's a very hard problem. And those aircraft carriers used to be hard to find, but now they're easy to find because everybody has these LEO constellations for surveillance," he added, referring to low-earth orbit satellites. Schmidt said one way to deter China's option of leading a land invasion against the neighboring country is to use exploding sea drones similar to the ones Ukraine has been using against Russia's Black Sea Fleet. Ukraine has been using homemade, uncrewed multi-purpose surface vessels called Magura to stifle Russia's naval fleet, a major accomplishment considering Ukraine doesn't operate any warships in its navy. The Magura sea drones have multiple functions, including surveillance and reconnaissance, but they've also been used to take out a helicopter and slam into a Russian military speedboat. Schmidt said that a company could build similar boats that could "sink even a few feet below the water and then serve as the equivalent of torpedoes." "I don't run a company in this space, but I would build those boats, get the military to purchase them, and then stage them such that it would not allow for a land invasion by China of Taiwan," he said. "Take away one of their options. Easy." Schmidt has previously said that drones are the future of warfare. Forbes reported last year that the tech investor has been secretly testing AI-guided military drones on the front lines in Ukraine. "For thousands of years, we've had the notion of, stereotypically, a man and a gun fighting another man and a gun, with a horse or what have you," he said at the Milken panel. "We're now breaking that connection forever, because the war will be prosecuted over the internet in one form or another." Schmidt's representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
