Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt recently stirred controversy with his comments during a talk at Stanford, where he suggested that startups could steal intellectual property and then hire lawyers to fix the issues later. Schmidt made the remarks while discussing how AI could be leveraged to rapidly create new products and compete in markets like social media. He illustrated this by proposing a hypothetical scenario where an AI duplicates TikTok, acquires its users and content, and then tweaks it based on user preferences. Schmidt suggested that, if such a product gains traction, legal teams could be brought in afterward to address any violations.

Schmidt’s comments also touched on why Google struggled to compete with AI innovations like ChatGPT, blaming it partly on employees prioritizing remote work over competitive advancement. He emphasized that in Silicon Valley, it’s common for startups to test out ideas first and deal with legal consequences later if the idea takes off.

Although Schmidt no longer holds a leadership position at Google, his views remain influential due to his continued investment in AI startups and his connections in the tech industry. His controversial statements highlight the fast-paced, sometimes ethically ambiguous environment in which Silicon Valley operates.