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An engineering startup that aims to aims to use AI to revolutionize the development of defense systems has hired its first general counsel, Tom McCabe.

Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Istari launched in May 2022 but remained in stealth mode until February, when the company unveiled its plans and said it had raised $13 million from a group of investors, including Eric Schmidt, the former CEO of Google.

Schmidt told Wired magazine in February that AI promises to have as big an effect on warfare as nuclear weapons did. "This unlocks the possibility of software-like agility for future physical systems," he told Wired. "It is very exciting."

The company is now building out its C-suite, including the hiring of McCabe, who has three decades of legal and operations management experience and will serve as both GC and chief operating officer.

McCabe for the last five years was senior vice president, general counsel, chief compliance officer and secretary at BWX Technologies, a provider of nuclear components.

Prior to BWX, McCabe was executive vice president, general counsel and secretary at Orbital ATK, a provider of defense and aviation systems that Northrop Grumman acquired for $9.2 billion in 2018.

Istari and McCabe did not respond to Law.com's requests for comment.

Leading Istari as CEO is Will Roper, a physicist who served as the U.S. Air Force's assistant secretary for acquisition, technology and logistics from 2018 to 2021.

The company plans to use AI to model and simulate the design and testing work that goes into defense systems, as well as equipment for other industries, such as agriculture and aerospace.

"[McCabe's] proven track record helping companies grow will accelerate and expand Istari's digital engineering solutions across sectors," Roper said in a statement.