AI Meets the Battlefield: Mike Weigand on the Future of AI, Cybersecurity and Defense Innovation

Join Terry McGraw on Bytes & Brew as he sits down with Mike Weigand, a former Army Ranger, cyber officer, and defense-tech entrepreneur. In this compelling episode, Mike shares his journey from securing military systems at Shift5 to founding Aventra, a defense-tech startup tackling the future of long-range precision systems. Weigand shares how his military roots as a West Point grad, Ranger, and cyber officer shaped his entrepreneurial approach to defense innovation. He discusses how today's battlefield is defined not by mass but by speed, autonomy, and software-driven advantage—and how tools like AI are shrinking OODA loops, enabling rapid prototyping, and completely changing what’s possible in modern conflict. ▶️ Topics covered in this episode:Securing operational technology (OT) systemsAI's Transformative Impact on Defense InnovationThe Reindustrialization ImperativeSpeed as the New Competitive AdvantageWhether you care about AI, defense innovation, or American industrial resilience, this is a conversation that connects dots few others can. 👉 Subscribe to Bourbon & Bytes for more conversations with top tech leaders—diving into cybersecurity, national security, AI threats, and the personal journeys behind the innovation. Cape Endeavors is dedicated to providing top-tier Managed CMMC Secure Enclave services tailored to the defense industrial base. Our team of experts ensures that you can rapidly become compliant with NIST 800-171/CMMC 2.0 Lvl2 while focusing on your existing business with little interruptions to existing operations. Learn more https://www.capeendeavors.com #DefenseTech #Cybersecurity #AI #IndustrialBase #OODAloop #AutonomousWeapons #AmericanManufacturing #CapeEndeavors