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

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March 13, 2026

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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.

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Emil MichaelDefense Innovation UnitAmerican Dynamism SummitWashington DC MichaelLock-In Democratic OversightResources Follow Emil MichaelX Follow David UlevitchX Stay Updated If

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Emil Michael: The Department of War Is Moving Faster Than Silicon Valley on AI | The a16z Show · A16z · Sentinel