Posted by Rebecca Torrence | Bloomberg News
Emil Michael made his name in Silicon Valley a decade ago as an aggressive marketer of a startup – Uber Technologies – as it clashed with the government in a bid for market dominance. Now, Michael has switched sides in a war involving a different start – this time taking a leading role in the Pentagon’s conflict with artificial intelligence pioneer Anthropic.
As the US Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, Michael has been discussing with Anthropic and its CEO, Dario Amodei, about how the defense department can use its AI models. The talks, centered on Anthropic’s aim to keep its technology from being used for mass surveillance of Americans and to enable fully autonomous weapons, are at a standstill. The Pentagon officially notified Anthropic this week that it has determined the company has a supply chain risk – a term usually used only by foreign adversaries.
The episode allowed Michael to revisit some of the hardball tactics that defined his four-year tenure as Uber’s chief business officer. The situation pitted the Department of Defense against Anthropic, a leading industry player, and a broad and vocal group of technology experts concerned about the use of AI in weapons.
Even as he talks to Anthropic, Michael is at the same time trying to build good relationships with technology companies, reaching out to potential partners to accelerate the military adoption of AI. Since taking the position in May, Michael has met with hundreds of technology companies, according to a department official. Part of the goal is to get the best AI technology into the hands of the government, work closely with a number of leading players, and expand the entire contractor landscape that the Defense Department often deals with, the official said.
Michael has also maintained direct relationships with investors — including those backing Anthropic — with whom he has spoken in recent days, according to a person familiar with the matter who asked not to be identified, citing private conversations. In their discussions, he has shared his opinion on the negotiations from the side of the government, they added.
Michael has been publicly critical of Anthropic, calling Amodei a “liar” and a “God-complex” in X’s post last week. At Andreessen Horowitz’s American Dynamism Summit on Tuesday, Michael said the problems with the unnamed seller went “beyond what you’ve been hearing in the media for the past few weeks.” He also said that the company is pushing for “a lot of restrictions. However, these types of AI were baked into some of the most critical and important areas of the US military.”
His fiery personality in government is matched by his reputation at Uber, where he served as former CEO Travis Kalanick’s right-hand man and modeled its early success. During his four years at the company, he helped transform Uber from a scrappy start-up to a tough regulatory move into a household name and a global transportation staple. He also helped raise more than $10 billion. He oversaw Uber’s expansion into international markets such as China, and ultimately Uber’s sale of its Chinese operations to rival Didi Chuxing.
Michael’s string of victories in the company was accompanied by controversy. He was eventually fired in 2017 following an investigation into the ride-hailing company’s workplace culture led by former US Attorney General Eric Holder. Holder’s report recommended Michael’s removal from the company, among other leadership changes, Bloomberg reported at the time. Kalanick left soon after.
Michael has been involved in other high-profile scandals at Uber, including reports that he and other executives visited an escort-karaoke bar in 2017. He also suggested in 2014 that Uber could pay to dig up dirt on journalists who criticize the company. He denies that he followed the journalist, in a statement at the time, he said he regrets the incident.
Still, some of Michael’s allies are happy to see a veteran businessman in government. “You want someone in the Pentagon who really understands technology and knows how to navigate the world of technology,” said Joe Lonsdale, a conservative investor and co-founder of Palantir Technologies Inc. And someone “young enough that he’s still working 100 hours a week, very intensively.”
A former college Republican at Harvard University, Michael has prior government experience, too. Before joining Uber, Michael was a member of the White House under President Barack Obama and served as a special assistant to former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. While working at Uber, he joined the Defense Enterprise Board to lend his technical expertise to policy recommendations.
In the years following his departure from Uber, and prior to his appointment to the Department of Defense, Michael was the CEO of a private equity firm called DPCM Capital.
His political contributions, though limited, crossed party lines. Most recently, he gave $1 million in 2024 to MAGA Inc., President Donald Trump’s political action committee, Federal Election Commission records show. Previously, Michael contributed $2,700 to Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign.
Courtesy of Bill Allison.
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