Public transcript

Eric Schmidt on the war in Ukraine, AI and how Russia is innovating

By: The World with Richard Engel and Yalda Hakim
Length: 35 min
Language: English
Text from: the video's captions
Transcribed: 14 October 2026

Read the full transcript Open on YouTube

Notes in English.

Summary

Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt speaks with Richard Engel in Ukraine about how drone and AI technology is transforming the war. Schmidt argues Russia has caught up with Ukraine's innovation advantage, notably by adding jet engines to Shahed drones and building drone-to-drone mesh networks. He warns the war may be at an inflection point, that Ukraine needs money and Western technological help to hold, and that the West is failing to capture the lessons of this conflict.

Key points

Schmidt says the battlefield is a no man's land where anyone leaving cover can be spotted by a drone and killed within about three minutes.
Russia has added cheap Chinese jet engines (around $5,000 each) to Shahed drones, making them faster than current interceptors, so there is now no good defense against them.
A jet-powered Shahed hit the SBU building in Kyiv, steered via a Russian drone-to-drone mesh network, and one public figure suggests Russia has readied 80,000 of them by December.
Schmidt lists five reasons the war may worsen: more ballistic missiles (allegedly 1,300 a year), jet-powered drones, scaled KB glide bombs of up to 3,000 kilograms, a possible Russian mobilization of 500,000–600,000 after September elections, and Russia's Starlink competitor Rusevet becoming operational next year.
He describes the war as layered by cost: FPV fiber-optic drones at $600–$1,000 up to ballistic missiles at roughly $3–4 million each.
Schmidt distinguishes automation and computer vision from true AI, saying what has been reported so far is automated targeting, not learning systems, but true AI-driven swarms are likely coming soon.
He hopes that when both sides have AI-controlled drone swarms, mutual uncertainty could act like a deterrent, similar to nuclear mutually assured destruction.
He criticises the West for not transferring or capturing the knowledge from this war, given Russia is a future adversary of NATO.
On society, Schmidt is optimistic about AI's benefits but worries especially about its impact on children.

Questions it answers

00:00Why Ukraine

Why did Eric Schmidt get involved in this war?

After working for the Pentagon, he saw what he considers Russian war crimes against civilians and decided to help. He says the rate of innovation in this war is faster than anything he has seen in tech.

Schmidt calls it the greatest revolution in warfare in history.
He helps Ukraine with drone technology.

03:00Jet Shaheds and mesh networks

How have Russian drones changed the drone war?

Russia added cheap Chinese jet engines to Shaheds, making them faster than current interceptors, so there is now no good defense. A Shahed hit the SBU building in Kyiv, steered by a drone-to-drone mesh network, and a public claim says 80,000 are ready by December.

Jet engines cost about $5,000 and are hand-sized.
Eight months ago defenses worked; now they don't.

09:30Five worsening trends

Why does Schmidt think the war will get much worse?

He cites more ballistic missiles (allegedly 1,300 a year), jet-powered drones, scaled KB glide bombs, a possible Russian mobilization of 500,000–600,000, and Russia's Starlink competitor Rusevet becoming operational next year.

He fears a scenario of total war where everything in both countries is a target.
Ukraine needs Western money and technology to hold.

15:00Layers and costs

How is the war structured by weapon and cost?

The war has layers: FPV fiber-optic drones ($600–$1,000), KB glide bombs, Shaheds, and ballistic missiles at roughly $3–4 million each. Cheap drones are the bullets; expensive missiles terrify the populace and destroy infrastructure.

Ukrainians hide and shoot exposed Russian assault troops.
Russian death rates are estimated at their highest ever.

19:00AI and automated targeting

Is AI already picking targets in this war?

Schmidt says what has been reported is computer vision and automation, not true AI. Fully automatic targeting without human intervention violates the laws of war, and he believes Russia will not adhere to Western rules on humans on the loop.

The technology is the same as face unlock on phones.
True learning AI systems have not yet been seen but are expected soon.

28:00AI deterrence and society

Could AI create deterrence, and should we worry about AI in society?

Schmidt hopes that when both sides have AI-run drone swarms, mutual uncertainty could deter attack like nuclear MAD. Societally, he is optimistic AI will solve major problems, but worries especially about its impact on children.

Ten major unsolvable math problems were solved by AI this summer.
He believes AI concerns can be overcome.

34:00Closing warning

What is Schmidt's final message about the war?

He warns the war is at an inflection point because Russia has matched Ukraine's innovation speed. He urges everyone to recognise the new developments and act, saying those who do nothing should not complain when the bad outcome occurs.

Russia was big and slow; that has changed.
Wars are dynamic — what you thought last month has changed.

Notes

Why Eric Schmidt got involved

Schmidt worked for the US Pentagon and decided to help Ukraine after seeing what he calls Russian war crimes against civilians.
He describes this as a war driving a technological revolution faster than anything he has seen in tech.

Drone warfare today

The frontline is a no man's land: leave a hole and within about three minutes you are spotted and likely dead.
Drones are like little airplanes having dogfights; interceptors seek and hit incoming drones.
Russia has added small Chinese jet engines (about $5,000, hand-sized, running at 700°C) to Shaheds, making them faster than current interceptors — as of now there is no good defense.
A jet Shahed hit the SBU building in Kyiv, guided by a Russian drone-to-drone mesh network; a public claim suggests 80,000 are readied by December.

Five reasons it will get worse

Ballistic missiles, allegedly 1,300 a year, each block-destroying.
Jet engines as the new entry point of war.
KB glide bombs up to 3,000 kg, precision-guided, with no effective counter.
A believed Russian mobilization of 500,000–600,000 after September elections.
Russia's Starlink competitor Rusevet (RSV) appearing operational next year.

Layers and costs of the war

FPV fiber-optic drones ($600–$1,000), KB glide bombs, Shaheds, and ballistic missiles (US ones ~$3–4 million) form a cost hierarchy.
Ukrainians, outnumbered, hide and shoot exposed Russian assault troops; Russian death rates are the highest ever.