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Fox News
7 days ago
- Business
- Fox News
AI arms race: US and China weaponize drones, code and biotech for the next great war
From drone swarms to gene-edited soldiers, the United States and China are racing to integrate artificial intelligence into nearly every facet of their war machines — and a potential conflict over Taiwan may be the world's first real test of who holds the technological edge. For millennia, victory in war was determined by manpower, firepower and the grit of battlefield commanders. However, in this ongoing technological revolution, algorithms and autonomy may matter more than conventional arms. "War will come down to who has the best AI," said Arnie Bellini, a tech entrepreneur and defense investor, in an interview with Fox News Digital. U.S. planners now consider Taiwan the likely locus of a 21st-century great power conflict. Though America doesn't formally ally with Taiwan, it has steadily armed the island and shifted its forces to focus on the Indo-Pacific. The Pentagon is responding with urgency, and nowhere is that transformation more visible than in the U.S. Army's sweeping AI overhaul. Under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's leadership, the Army has launched a $36 billion modernization initiative aimed directly at countering China in the Indo-Pacific. By 2026, each of its 10 active combat divisions will be equipped with roughly 1,000 drones, dramatically shifting the battlefield from crewed helicopters to autonomous systems. Army leaders highlight that legacy weapons and bureaucratic lag are incompatible with future warfare. The new push includes AI-assisted command-and-control, real-world testing under challenging conditions in places like the Philippines and a rapid feedback model to keep doctrine updated. Beyond hardware, AI may prove most powerful in prevention. Bellini believes U.S. cyber espionage, combined with AI, could strike preemptively. "The United States is the very best at cyber espionage and cyber warfare… once you combine [that] with AI, you can stop a war before it even happens." This could involve infiltrating Chinese naval systems via cyber-AI tools and neutralizing threats before ships ever set sail. AI isn't just about machines — it's changing biology too. The U.S. military is exploring AI-driven trauma care, synthetic blood and regenerative medicine to save lives. However, China may be pushing the envelope further. "China has been one of the more forward-leaning countries in using biotech within its military," defense strategist Jack Burnham said. "In military hospitals, there is significant research on gene editing … some of this might be dual-use." Reports from intelligence chiefs and former DNI John Ratcliffe suggest China may be experimenting with gene-edited soldiers, raising alarms about the ethical gray zone of AI-biotech integration. "The future of warfare is not going to be with people," Bellini predicted. "It's going to be robots. It's going to be drones. And it's the synchronization." Tesla is developing its "Optimus" robot, he noted, complete with an AI-optimized "brain" to complete chores that are "dangerous, repetitive and boring" in warehouses, homes and even hazardous facilities like nuclear plants. CEO Elon Musk has spoken out against using Optimus as a "killer robot," but still, foreign adversaries worry about the potential for dual use. China has imposed export restrictions on the rare-earth magnets needed for Optimus actuators, specifically requesting assurances that the units won't be used for military purposes. U.S. forces are already simulating this future in AI-enhanced war games. Through these exercises, commanders learn to operate at AI pace — modeling logistics, battlefield flows, and adversaries at an unprecedented scale. "AI is really good at modeling logistics… visualizing and integrating vast quantities of data… [creating] a more immersive experience at a much larger scale," Burnham said. "These AI opponents are like intelligent enemies you're playing against in a war game," explained Dr. Randall Hill, executive director of the University of Southern California's Institute for Creative Technologies. "It's important to train not just with AI but also about AI — so soldiers understand where to trust it and where its limits are." Hill's team is developing tools like PAL3, a personalized AI teaching assistant for military trainees that adapts to individual learning speeds. "It's about helping both humans and machines understand each other's strengths and weaknesses," he said. The U.S. insists on a "human-in-the-loop" for lethal AI decisions — but China may not, experts warn. "Here in the U.S., we are focused on ethical and legal decisions on the battlefield… our adversaries… might not be as worried about keeping a human in the loop," said RJ Blake, a former defense official. Hill echoed this concern, emphasizing the need for AI systems to be interpretable and stress-tested rigorously. "We need protocols aligned with American values," he said. "The AI must be explainable and capable of justifying its conclusions — and humans must recognize when those systems are outside their trained boundaries." As AI redefines warfare — from cyber and command systems to autonomous weapons and biotech — it's not just a war machine being built. It's a system of systems, blending digital, physical and biological domains. Should Beijing move against Taiwan, the battlefield may no longer be measured in tanks or missiles — but in algorithms, networks and gene sequences.
Business Wire
15-07-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Inaugural CyberBay Summit to Spark the Next Digital Defense Movement
TAMPA, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CyberBay2025, a high-impact summit uniting the nation's leading minds in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and national security, is launching in Tampa Bay this fall. The event will engage leaders in business, investment, education, and the military with a bold agenda focused on redefining the front lines of digital defense. CyberBay2025 is launching in Tampa Bay this fall to unite business, investment, education, and the military around a bold agenda focused on redefining the front lines of digital defense. Share Set for at the Tampa Marriott Water Street, the event is hosted by Cyber Florida, University of South Florida (USF), The USF Bellini College of AI, Cybersecurity and Computing, USF Institute for AI+X, and Bellini Capital. Registration is now open at 'Tampa Bay is the hub of America's cyber resilience. Established companies, startups, investors, educators, and the military are building a next-generation cybersecurity ecosystem that outpaces threats and serves as an economic engine for the country,' said Arnie Bellini, Managing Partner at Bellini Capital. 'CyberBay 2025 will ignite innovation and action from classrooms to corporations to command centers.' Content at the summit will mobilize a new era of cyber readiness capable of safeguarding infrastructure, protecting free enterprise, and defending digital borders. The agenda will focus on cybersecurity, AI+X, national security, the start-up/VC ecosystem, research and development, and education, talent recruitment, and retention. In addition, a cybersecurity Capture the Flag competition will feature rising talent, and an AI and Cyber Talent Showcase will bring graduating students and job seekers together with leaders from Tampa's tech industry. Current speakers include: Jen Easterly, former director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, combat veteran, cybersecurity pioneer General (Ret.) Frank McKenzie, Executive Director, Cyber Florida at USF and the Global and National Security Institute, USF Dr. Patrick McDaniel, Professor of Computer Sciences, University of Wisconsin–Madison Arnie Bellini, Tech Entrepreneur & Managing Partner, Bellini Capital Gayle Sheppard, Board of Directors, Nutanix Elisa Bertino, Samuel D. Conte Distinguished Professor of Computer Science, Purdue University Early bird ticket pricing is available until July 31, 2025. Sponsors for the event include ConnectSecure, ThreatLocker, and CyberFOX, among other Tampa institutions and cybersecurity organizations. For sponsorship information, please contact Andrew Morgan at andrew@ Journalists interested in attending should contact Jennifer Kleman, APR, CPRC, Cyber Outreach Manager at Jennifer437@ for a complimentary ticket. About The University of South Florida (USF) The University of South Florida is a top-ranked research university, serving approximately 50,000 students from across the globe at campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota-Manatee and USF Health. USF is recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a top 50 public university and the best value in Florida. U.S. News also ranks the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine as the No. 1 medical school in Florida and in the highest tier nationwide. USF is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), a group that includes only the top 3% of universities in the U.S. With an all-time high of $738 million in research funding in 2024 and as a top 20 public university for producing U.S. patents, USF uses innovation to transform lives and shape a better future. The university generates an annual economic impact of more than $6 billion. USF's Division I athletics teams compete in the American Athletic Conference. Learn more at The Bellini College of AI, Cybersecurity and Computing at the University of South Florida is the first named college for AI, cybersecurity, and computing, dedicated to advancing education, research and ethical innovation. The College is designed to foster interdisciplinary innovation and technology development through strong industry and government partnerships, serving as a critical talent center for CyberBay and the cybersecurity sector as a whole. About Cyber Florida at USF The Florida Center for Cybersecurity at the University of South Florida, commonly referred to as Cyber Florida at USF, was established by the Florida Legislature in 2014. Its mission is to position Florida as a national leader in cybersecurity through comprehensive education, cutting-edge research, and extensive outreach. Cyber Florida leads various initiatives to inspire and educate current and future cybersecurity professionals, advance applied research, and enhance cybersecurity awareness and safety of individuals and organizations. The USF Institute for Artificial Intelligence (AI+X) is a university-wide research and education center for Artificial Intelligence. It conducts externally-funded research in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and associated areas (X = Healthcare, Medicine, Biology, Cybersecurity, Finance, Business, Manufacturing, Transportation), using a transdisciplinary approach across Neuroscience, Cognitive Science, and Computer Science, and work with industry to transition them into products that benefit humanity in an ethical and responsible manner. About Bellini Capital Deploying capital through a blend of seed investment and philanthropy, Bellini Capital is seeking to create an unbreakable ecosystem of cybersecurity innovation, talent development, and ecological stewardship. The firm was founded by technology entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist, Arnie Bellini, and is based in Tampa, Florida (a.k.a. CyberBay).
Business Insider
07-07-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
5 stock picks from an analyst for a new era of cybersecurity threats
Geopolitical tensions have soared in recent years, leading experts to worry about the rising threat of cyberattacks on governments and critical infrastructure. Cybersecurity concerns have jumped this year. After the US government targeted Iran in a military attack on its nuclear facilities, Iran-linked hackers responded by targeting American banks and defense contractors, as well as oil producers. Arnie Bellini, managing partner of cybersecurity investment firm Bellini Capital, believes that the US government will double down on cybersecurity — and he sees a key opportunity for investors in a handful of stocks that could benefit from the heightened spending. "A lot of people can make lots of money in the cyber space right now," he said. "It's a really smart play." Bellini told Business Insider that he's eyeing these stocks as top picks in the space. Palo Alto Networks From Bellini's perspective, cybersecurity firms that are strongly aligned with the federal government are in the best position to gain. He sees Palo Alto Networks as the best cybersecurity play, due to the company's federal alignment, dynamic list of product and artificial intelligence (AI) integration. "They've already worked with the government agencies, and they're rapidly expanding AI integrated threat detection and zero trust architecture to modern, very appropriate approaches to cybersecurity defense," he stated. Bellini cited the example of Palo Alto Network's history of collaborating with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), noting that he expects the contract between the two to be expanded. Shares of Paolo Alto Networks are up 11% year-to-date. CrowdStrike Just behind Palo Alto Networks in Bellini's cyber stock rankings is Crowdstrike Holdings. Bellini highlighted CrowdStrike's popularity with both defense contracts and incident response teams, describing the company as a "go-to product" for many in these areas. "They also have a real-time threat intel and a security operations center automation that fit well with federal cyber rapid response mandates," he added, praising the company's ability to respond to attacks quickly, an essential component of cybersecurity success. Crowdstrike stock is up 50% in 2025. Fortinent and SentinelOne Bellini's also sees growth potential in Fortinet and SentinelOne. While Fortinet is up 12% this year, SentinelOne is down 17% in 2025. That said, Bellini touts them both as likely beneficiaries of a boost to government cyber defense spending. He touts Fortinet's network security and secure access services as a vital component for federal agencies that manage a hybrid infrastructure. "They tick off all the boxes as a company that could be used and is already being used by the federal government," he stated. Bellini acknowledges that SentinelOne is a comparatively new player in the industry but praises its use of AI as an effective cyber tool. "Those who seek to do us harm, the hackers, they're all using AI," he noted. "What's great about Sentinel one is they have an AI driven, autonomous detection and response system." He sees this as highly important because it can help close the skills gap that the cybersecurity industry is facing. A mixed take on Palantir The final cybersecurity stock in Bellini's top five ranking is Palantir Technologies, a company that has emerged as one of the year's breakout stocks. The tech firm has surged more than 78% this year, an is a popular favorite among retail investors. Palantir fits Bellini's criteria of being aligned with the government, as it's inked numerous contracts with agencies including the Department of Defense and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. However, Bellini ranks it below the other top names on his list because, in his words, Palantir is not pursuing AI in its cybersecurity endeavors. However, he added that he does believe that Palantir will benefit from any cyber defense push due to its extensive data mining.
Business Upturn
27-06-2025
- Business
- Business Upturn
Saint Leo University Receives Significant Gift from Tampa Tech Icon, Arnie Bellini
Saint Leo, Fla., June 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Saint Leo University has received a transformative $1.5 million donation from Tampa-based tech visionary and philanthropist Arnie Bellini, founder of ConnectWise and CEO of Bellini Capital. The gift builds on an initial $500,000 contribution made in 2024, with a recent additional $1 million investment. This impactful support will significantly expand the university's reach in cybersecurity education, fueling initiatives designed to close workforce gaps and prepare students for high-demand careers. The donation will establish The Bellini Family Endowed Scholarship, the university's first dedicated cybersecurity scholarship, supporting students pursuing degrees in cybersecurity or demonstrating a strong passion for the field. It will also advance several strategic initiatives, including Saint Leo's first partnership with industry experts to create a new model for comprehensive, innovative cybersecurity training, with programming planned to begin in 2025. 'The cybersecurity threat is real, constant, and growing, and CyberBay is already a magnet for talent and innovation to address the need,' said Arnie Bellini. 'Right here in the Tampa Bay region, the demand for skilled cyber professionals is immediate and urgent—and the jobs are high-paying and high-impact. Saint Leo has proven itself as a powerhouse in cyber education, and this investment will amplify their impact and accelerate the pipeline of talent.' According to industry research, the global cybersecurity workforce gap surpassed 4 million jobs in 2023, including more than 500,000 vacancies in the United States. Florida ranks among the top five states in demand for cybersecurity professionals. The new training program will provide an expedited, flexible way for working adults to gain foundational cybersecurity skills. This revolutionary approach to cybersecurity education creates standardized training modules for industry wide adoption. Offered entirely online and self-paced, the program is designed to serve as a talent pipeline for employers across Tampa Bay and beyond, helping individuals transition into critical tech roles faster. 'Arnie Bellini's generosity accelerates our mission to educate ethical tech leaders and bridge the gap between academic learning and real-world application,' said Steve Carroll, chief information officer at Saint Leo University. 'This gift will impact Tampa Bay's workforce for generations to come.' Saint Leo University has earned national recognition for its cybersecurity program and is designated a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education by the NSA and U.S. Department of Homeland Security. In 2023, the university established the College of Computing, Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, and Data Science to meet the rising demand for high-quality education in the tech sector. More than 500 students are currently pursuing cybersecurity degrees at Saint Leo. ### ABOUT SAINT LEO UNIVERSITY Saint Leo University is a Catholic Benedictine university dedicated to helping learners of all backgrounds and ages gain the competence and courage to be more. Offering more than 55-degree programs to more than 13,000 students each year, the nonprofit university is known for providing a values-based education in the liberal arts tradition and a community of belonging for those who seek a greater purpose in life. Saint Leo is regionally accredited and offers a campus in the Tampa Bay area of Florida, regional education centers, and several online programs. The university is home to more than 106,000 alumni. Learn more at or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn. Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with GlobeNewswire. Business Upturn takes no editorial responsibility for the same. Ahmedabad Plane Crash
Associated Press
27-06-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Saint Leo University Receives Significant Gift from Tampa Tech Icon, Arnie Bellini
Saint Leo, Fla., June 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Saint Leo University has received a transformative $1.5 million donation from Tampa-based tech visionary and philanthropist Arnie Bellini, founder of ConnectWise and CEO of Bellini Capital. The gift builds on an initial $500,000 contribution made in 2024, with a recent additional $1 million investment. This impactful support will significantly expand the university's reach in cybersecurity education, fueling initiatives designed to close workforce gaps and prepare students for high-demand careers. The donation will establish The Bellini Family Endowed Scholarship, the university's first dedicated cybersecurity scholarship, supporting students pursuing degrees in cybersecurity or demonstrating a strong passion for the field. It will also advance several strategic initiatives, including Saint Leo's first partnership with industry experts to create a new model for comprehensive, innovative cybersecurity training, with programming planned to begin in 2025. 'The cybersecurity threat is real, constant, and growing, and CyberBay is already a magnet for talent and innovation to address the need,' said Arnie Bellini. 'Right here in the Tampa Bay region, the demand for skilled cyber professionals is immediate and urgent—and the jobs are high-paying and high-impact. Saint Leo has proven itself as a powerhouse in cyber education, and this investment will amplify their impact and accelerate the pipeline of talent.' According to industry research, the global cybersecurity workforce gap surpassed 4 million jobs in 2023, including more than 500,000 vacancies in the United States. Florida ranks among the top five states in demand for cybersecurity professionals. The new training program will provide an expedited, flexible way for working adults to gain foundational cybersecurity skills. This revolutionary approach to cybersecurity education creates standardized training modules for industry wide adoption. Offered entirely online and self-paced, the program is designed to serve as a talent pipeline for employers across Tampa Bay and beyond, helping individuals transition into critical tech roles faster. 'Arnie Bellini's generosity accelerates our mission to educate ethical tech leaders and bridge the gap between academic learning and real-world application,' said Steve Carroll, chief information officer at Saint Leo University. 'This gift will impact Tampa Bay's workforce for generations to come.' Saint Leo University has earned national recognition for its cybersecurity program and is designated a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education by the NSA and U.S. Department of Homeland Security. In 2023, the university established the College of Computing, Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, and Data Science to meet the rising demand for high-quality education in the tech sector. More than 500 students are currently pursuing cybersecurity degrees at Saint Leo. ### ABOUT SAINT LEO UNIVERSITY Saint Leo University is a Catholic Benedictine university dedicated to helping learners of all backgrounds and ages gain the competence and courage to be more. Offering more than 55-degree programs to more than 13,000 students each year, the nonprofit university is known for providing a values-based education in the liberal arts tradition and a community of belonging for those who seek a greater purpose in life. Saint Leo is regionally accredited and offers a campus in the Tampa Bay area of Florida, regional education centers, and several online programs. The university is home to more than 106,000 alumni. Learn more at or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn. Rosali Salazar Vistra Communications [email protected]
