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The writer is international policy director at Stanford University’s Cyber Policy Center and special adviser to Margrethe Vestager
Technologies are playing an influential role on Ukraine’s battlefields, as the country defends itself against Russia’s aggressive war and fights for its European destiny. Both civilian and military technologies are being tested and utilized in innovative ways. Drones provide crucial information to troops, AI assists in target identification, and facial recognition systems help identify fallen Russian soldiers. Some corporate leaders are even expressing excitement about the war as an opportunity.
In the lead-up to the invasion, experts anticipated a full-blown cyber warfare due to Russia’s history of wreaking havoc on Ukraine with the NotPetya ransomware attack in 2017. However, Ukraine has proven to be resilient, and the role of technology in the conflict has not unfolded as expected. It has become a hybrid conflict, blurring the lines between civilian and military technology usage. Drones are extensively employed for reconnaissance flights and explosive delivery, causing Ukraine to lose around 10,000 drones every month.
Some business leaders, like Alex Karp of Palantir, have shown enthusiasm for testing new products in the war effort. Karp claims that Palantir’s AI is making a significant difference in Ukraine, particularly in target identification. Palantir has established an office in Kyiv since partnering with Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Karp has emphasized the power of advanced algorithmic warfare systems, comparing it to having tactical nuclear weapons against adversaries with conventional ones. However, the fear of conventional nuclear weapons still carries a more tangible impact.
Other tech industry leaders have also shown interest in Ukraine. Former Google chief Eric Schmidt visited Ukraine, meeting with President Zelenskyy’s office and the country’s defense minister. Schmidt is now supporting a local start-up incubator for military technologies and praised Elon Musk for providing satellite internet connections through Starlink to the Kyiv government. However, concerns have been raised about the growing dependence on commercial tech firms, such as Elon Musk’s dominance in satellite internet constellations.
Clearview, a controversial AI company, is facing fines for privacy violations in Europe but has eagerly offered its technologies to hundreds of Ukrainian officials. Their systems are utilized to identify Russian soldiers involved in war crimes or looting. This collaboration aims to support Ukraine while also improving Clearview’s reputation.
William LaPlante, US under-secretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, has tempered the hype surrounding tech CEOs’ claims about their products’ role in deciding the war’s outcome. He emphasizes that fighting is not done by Silicon Valley, regardless of their attempts to take credit for it. However, Ukrainian officials believe that the influx of Western technology companies will have a positive long-term impact on the country. They aspire to develop a Silicon Valley-like hub for innovative technologies that can aid in defending the country.
Ukrainian Minister Mykhailo Fedorov envisions achieving an “Israeli model” of high-tech business growth in Ukraine. He has overseen the digitization of various government services and believes that successfully warding off Russian invaders is necessary for the nation to flourish as a startup nation.
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