Brandon Tseng – Shield AI’s X-BAT: The First AI Fighter Jet to Outsmart Top Gun | SRS #247

Brandon Tseng is the President and Cofounder of Shield AI, a defense technology company he established in 2015 with his brother Ryan Tseng, specializing in AI-powered autonomous systems for military applications, including the V-BAT drone deployed in operations like those in Ukraine. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy with a BS in Mechanical Engineering and Harvard Business School with an MBA, Tseng served seven years in the U.S. Navy as a SEAL and Surface Warfare Officer, with deployments including Afghanistan in 2015, where he witnessed the need for AI in warfare. Under his leadership, Shield AI has raised over $1 billion, achieved a multi-billion-dollar valuation, expanded globally, and focused on ethical AI for national security. Named to TIME's 100 Most Influential People in AI for 2025, Tseng has testified before the U.S. House Armed Services Committee on technology innovation and serves on the Board of Directors for the C4 Foundation, supporting Navy SEAL families. He advocates for public-private partnerships in defense, advancing AI to protect warfighters, and securing U.S. leadership in autonomous systems amid global competition. 00:00 Introduction and Excitement for the Show 01:26 Background and Achievements 02:48 Gift Exchange 06:14 Shield AI’s Counter-Drug Missions 11:20 Early Life and SEAL Team Dream 24:40 BUD/S and Hell Week Experiences 37:35 First Deployment and Transition to Civilian Life 52:29 Founding Shield AI and Building Drones 01:11:50 Early Lidar and Product Challenges 01:14:31 Strategy Shifts, Acquisitions, and AI Autonomy 01:20:41 Human-Machine Collaboration in Warfare 01:41:39 Growth of AI Pilots 01:59:48 Showcasing the X-Bat Model 02:01:11 Advanced Combat Capabilities 02:05:53 AI’s Role in Ukraine and Global Conflicts 02:22:12 The Future of Autonomous Warfare 02:34:24 Final Reflections and Inspiring the Next Generation