Eye on A.I. is a biweekly podcast, hosted by longtime New York Times correspondent Craig S. Smith. In each episode, Craig will talk with some of the leaders making a difference in this space, putting incremental advances in machine intelligence into a broader context and considering the global implications of developing technology. AI is about to change your world, so pay attention.
Host: Craig Smith
Posting Schedule: Bi-weekly on Wednesdays
Links: Apple, Spotify, Google Play
Eye on A.I. is a biweekly podcast, hosted by longtime New York Times correspondent Craig S. Smith. In each episode, Craig will talk to people making a difference in artificial intelligence. The podcast aims to put incremental advances into a broader context and consider the global implications of the developing technology. AI is about to change your world, so pay attention.
In this episode of the Eye on AI podcast, Tyler Xuan Saltsman, CEO of Edgerunner, joins Craig Smith to explore how AI is reshaping military strategy, logistics, and defense technology—pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in modern warfare.
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Tyler shares the vision behind Edgerunner, a company at the cutting edge of generative AI for military applications. From logistics and mission planning to autonomous drones and battlefield intelligence, Edgerunner is building domain-specific AI that enhances decision-making, ensuring national security while keeping humans in control.
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We dive into how AI-powered military agents work, including the LoRA (Low-Rank Adaptation) model, which fine-tunes AI to think and act like military specialists—whether in logistics, aircraft maintenance, or real-time combat scenarios. Tyler explains how retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) and small language models allow warfighters to access mission-critical intelligence without relying on the internet, bringing real-time AI support directly to the battlefield.
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Tyler also discusses the future of drone warfare—how AI-driven, vision-enabled drones can neutralize threats autonomously, reducing reliance on human pilots while increasing battlefield efficiency. With autonomous swarms, AI-powered kamikaze drones, and real-time situational awareness, the landscape of modern warfare is evolving fast.
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Beyond combat, we explore AI’s role in security, including advanced weapons detection systems that can safeguard military bases, schools, and public spaces. Tyler highlights the urgent need for transparency in AI, contrasting Edgerunner’s open and auditable AI models with the black-box approaches of major tech companies.
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Discover how AI is transforming military operations, from logistics to combat strategy, and what this means for the future of defense technology.
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Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell for more deep dives into AI, defense, and cutting-edge technology!
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00:00) Introduction – AI for the Warfighter
(01:34) How AI is Transforming Military Logistics(
04:44) Running AI on the Edge – No Internet Required
(06:49) AI-Powered Mission Planning & Risk Mitigation
(14:32) The Future of AI in Drone Warfare
(22:17) AI’s Role in Strategic Defense & Economic Warfare
(26:34) The U.S.-China AI Race – Are We Falling Behind?
(35:17) The Future of AI in Warfare
