Brandon Tseng – Inside the World’s First AI Fighter Jet That Doesn’t Need a Runway | SRS #247

Oct 23, 2025 Shawn Ryan Show
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.

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Brandon Tseng Links:
X-BAT: Earth is our runway • X-BAT: Earth Is Our Runway
Unveiling X-BAT: Launch Keynotes • Unveiling X-BAT: Launch Keynotes
X - https://x.com/brandontseng2
X - https://x.com/shieldaitech
Shield AI - https://shield.ai
TIME 100 AI Profile - https://time.com/collections/time100-...

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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