logo
episode-header-image
Nov 2024
14m 9s

The Gamers Piloting Drones on Ukraine’s ...

The Wall Street Journal
About this episode

The use of drones is transforming how the war in Ukraine is being fought. Squadrons of pilots, mostly young men, are deploying skills and reflexes learned from videogames to attack Russian troops and inflicting casualties, while acting like military startups in the field. WSJ’s Ukraine bureau chief, James Marson, joins host James Rundle to discuss how this new crop of nontraditional soldiers are developing the future of modern warfare. Plus, we put artificial-intelligence chatbots through their paces, with a weekend in the woods.


Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Up next
Yesterday
TNB Tech Minute: Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X
Plus: Nvidia becomes the world’s first $4 trillion company. And, Duolingo appears to see weaker user trends in the U.S. Julie Chang hosts. Programming note: Starting this week, Tech News Briefing episodes will be released on Tuesdays and Fridays, and the TNB Tech Minute will be r ... Show More
2m 23s
Yesterday
TNB Tech Minute: Elon Musk’s Grok Chatbot Publishes Series of Antisemitic Posts
Plus: Apple’s COO to step down. And, Meta Platforms buys a minority-stake in EssilorLuxottica, the maker of Ray-Ban glasses. Julie Chang hosts. Programming note: Starting this week, Tech News Briefing episodes will be released on Tuesdays and Fridays, and the TNB Tech Minute will ... Show More
2m 47s
Jul 8
TNB Tech Minute: Trump’s Megabill May Give Boost to Chinese EV Makers
Plus: The megabill’s no tax on tips provision could bring in a 2.5% pay bump for Uber drivers. And Boldstart Ventures raises a $250 million AI fund. Julie Chang hosts. Programming note: Starting this week, Tech News Briefing episodes will be released on Tuesdays and Fridays, and ... Show More
2m 36s
Recommended Episodes
Oct 2024
Ukrainian Long-Range Drones
Outmanned and outgunned, Ukraine must work creatively to make a dent in Russia's war machine. Long-range drones that strike deep inside Russia are one of those innovations. Correspondent Fred Pleitgen was given exclusive access to one top-secret drone unit, and brings us a report ... Show More
1h 1m
Jan 2025
Hunting Russian soldiers with Ukraine's ace drone unit & tank brigade goes AWOL in France
Day 1,045.Today, after the latest updates from the battlefield, we hear about the cutting edge drones being used to wage war against Moscow's forces, and the moral conundrums they raise. Plus, we consider the state of the Russian economy as we enter 2025. Contributors:Dominic Nic ... Show More
53m 54s
Jun 14
Drone wars
An ominous buzzing in the sky. Swarms of killer AI drones. Fields of fiberoptic grass. The weird future of drone warfare is here. The conflict in Ukraine has proven to be a testing ground for the next generation of weaponry. How will the proliferation of these small, cheap device ... Show More
20m 46s
Jul 2024
The Era of Killer Robots Is Here
Outmanned and outgunned in what has become a war of attrition against Russia, Ukraine has looked for any way to overcome its vulnerabilities on the battlefield. That search has led to the emergence of killer robots.Paul Mozur, the global technology correspondent for The Times, ex ... Show More
26m 9s
Sep 2024
Ukraine's Military Hospital Train
As the fighting in Ukraine continues, so does the flood of casualties on the frontlines. One lifeline for injured soldiers takes the form of constantly running railway hospitals. A military secret, these trains have never been filmed until now, in this exclusive report by Christi ... Show More
1 h
Jul 2024
Ukraine withdraws troops in Chasiv Yar & China 'making attack drone' with Russia
Day 863.Today, we bring you news from the front lines as Ukrainian troops withdraw from a key district of Chasiv Yar. Plus, the latest diplomatic and political news as President Zelensky challenges Donald Trump to explain his peace plan. Contributors:David Knowles (Journalist). @ ... Show More
28m 38s
Jun 2
Russia and Ukraine hold brief talks despite heavy drone attacks
Russia and Ukraine wrap up a brief round of peace talks - after Ukraine launched an attack on Russian airbases. Also: why Britain is moving to war readiness, and the world's largest digital camera capturing the cosmos. 
28m 42s
Aug 2024
Russia declares emergency in Kursk as Ukraine ‘wipes out entire battalion’ & bombs a key airfield
Day 899.Today, we continue to bring you updates and analysis of Ukraine’s surprise attack on Russia’s Kursk region, we report on the rise of war tourism & bring you new, important details about the missile that Russia fired at the Okhmatdyt children’s hospital in Kyiv last month. ... Show More
50m 28s
Aug 2024
Why has Ukraine launched a military incursion into Russia now?
An expanding Ukrainian incursion into Russian territory forces Moscow to evacuate civilians. It's an embarrassment for President Vladimir Putin, and a morale-booster for Ukrainians. But why has Kyiv launched this operation now?  In this episode: Olesia HoriaInova, Co-founder, Ukr ... Show More
25m 9s
Nov 2024
The Latest on the Russia-Ukraine War
The stakes in Ukraine have again been laid bare. A Russian ballistic missile hit Odesa today, killing at least eight people, with children among the seriously injured. So the news that President Biden will allow the use of powerful long-range American weapons inside Russia may fe ... Show More
1h 1m