May 6, 2025 · 26m · a16z
Modernizing Warfare and Beyond
gold bands on the timeline = statements, start to end. Hover to read, click to jump. CC turns on captions
In this a16z American Dynamism panel, Defense Innovation Unit Deputy Director Liz Young McNally and Applied Intuition CEO Qasar Younis discuss accelerating commercial technology adoption within the Department of Defense. They address multi-domain autonomy, procurement reform, technical leadership, and strategic competition with China.
How this conversation actually went
Every chapter scored 0–10 on four independent dynamics. Hover any point for the reasoning behind the score. How this is scored →
speaking balance: gold is the host, purple is the guest (3 minute bins)
Qasar forcefully rejects standard administrative processes, stating bluntly that process-bound bureaucracy cannot defeat geopolitical adversaries like Beijing without deep technical leadership.
Hardest push from the host ▶ 21:58 Moderator interrupting on China executionThe moderator actively interjects with a sharp direct follow-up 'How do they?' while Qasar is explaining how Chinese automotive companies bypass corporate slowness.
Biggest teaching moment ▶ 19:36 Benchmarking Chinese autonomy vs Western misperceptionsQasar educates the audience and moderator on the exact level of Chinese automotive autonomous capability, correcting both over-hyped Silicon Valley claims and dismissive Western assumptions.
The host holds their own ▶ 17:00 Framing AI application across tactical and operational IndoPACOM domainsThe moderator prompts with specific domain knowledge on AI deployment in IndoPACOM, prompting Liz to detail operational headquarters decision-making and tactical drone swarming.
the scores for every segment, with the reasoning behind each
| Chapter | Topic | The host as informed peer | Guest teaching | Guest disagreement | The host pushing back | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Title Animation and Legal Disclaimer | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | The panel moderator opens the discussion by asking introductory questions about DIU's mission and Applied Intuition's early history working with government procurement. Liz McNally and Qasar Younis explain their respective organizations' roles in a friendly, collaborative manner without tension. | |
| Acquiring Episci and Multi-Domain Autonomy | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | The moderator asks specifically about Applied Intuition's acquisition of Episci and how DIU was involved. Qasar and Liz explain the strategic importance of multi-domain autonomy and consolidation in the defense industrial base. | |
| Bridging Silicon Valley Tech and Defense Procurement | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | The moderator asks how DIU bridges the language gap between Silicon Valley and defense buyers. Qasar reframes the procurement discussion by pointing out how commercial consumers prioritize software abstraction over hardware, contrasting it with legacy DoD habits. | |
| Accelerating Tech Adoption and Buyer Technical Fluency | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | The moderator prompts on how to speed up commercial tech adoption in defense. Qasar delivers a strong stance against bureaucracy, emphasizing that technical, software-literate leaders must occupy senior procurement roles rather than relying solely on process. | |
| Prototyping Case Study: 'Seeing is Believing' | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | After Qasar shares a case study about an automotive CTO testing software directly, the moderator asks Liz about AI applications in IndoPACOM. Liz outlines operational decision-making and tactical swarming while the moderator facilitates passively. | |
| Benchmarking Chinese Tech Capabilities and US STEM Strength | 1 | 4 | 2 | 0 | The moderator prompts Qasar to benchmark Chinese technical capabilities against the US. Qasar provides a detailed breakdown debunking both Silicon Valley over-fawning and Western dismissiveness, advising defense leaders to witness Chinese automotive autonomy directly. | |
| Advice and Call to Action for Dual-Use Founders | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | The moderator asks for final advice for dual-use founders in the audience. Qasar delivers a blunt civic call to action, warning that without commercial software talent aiding national defense, the US will lose its competitive edge. |