Israel Plans National AI Model to Reduce Foreign Dependence

Israel plans to develop its own artificial intelligence model to reduce dependence on foreign technology and maintain control over critical national infrastructure, the head of its National AI Directorate announced Monday.

Brig. Gen. (res.) Erez Askal, head of the National AI Directorate in the Prime Minister’s Office, outlined the initiative during his opening address at AI Week at Tel Aviv University on November 9, 2026.

The proposed infrastructure includes 2 gigawatts of energy capacity, 100,000 graphics processing units (GPUs), an Israeli quantum computer and a nationally controlled foundation AI model. Askal also called for substantial investment in workforce training and technological development.

He warned that growing dependence on artificial intelligence would fundamentally change the relationship between technology and national sovereignty.

"We are on the threshold of a new reality of sovereignty. Within a few years, national infrastructure will operate on the basis of artificial intelligence. Whoever controls it will control the switch that powers nations," Askal said.

Alongside the infrastructure plans, Israel launched the National Institute for Impact-Driven Artificial Intelligence, operating under the National AI Directorate in the Prime Minister’s Office.

The institute will coordinate government ministries, businesses, universities, civil society organizations and philanthropic institutions to develop practical AI applications addressing public needs.

Its activities will cover nine national challenges, including health care, population aging, education, national resilience, environmental and climate issues, equality and economic growth.

Under its initial operating plan, the institute will undertake 10 to 14 initiatives annually, aiming to advance five of its first 10 projects into implementation within one year.

Askal also presented a broader five-year framework for addressing 10 challenges annually by identifying regulatory, technological, procedural or data-related obstacles.

Potential applications include improving fourth-grade mathematics education, reducing congestion on Highway 6 and improving initial doctor-patient consultations.

Rather than limiting projects to technological development or pilot programs, the institute intends to measure improvements in everyday services and transfer successful applications to organizations capable of maintaining them independently.

Askal additionally emphasized the need for flexible regulation, cybersecurity protections, ethical oversight and clear accountability for AI systems and their outcomes.

According to a separate report, Askal said Israel would need approximately 2 gigawatts of electricity capacity to support the expansion of AI computing facilities, data centers and semiconductor manufacturing.

Israel also aims to establish computing infrastructure containing approximately 300,000 graphics processing units, or GPUs. About 100,000 would serve domestic needs, including universities, government agencies, the military and startups. The remaining 200,000 would support the growth of technology companies and commercial data centers operating in Israel.

Askal did not provide a budget or timetable for reaching those targets in his presentation.

A central element of the strategy is the development of a nationally controlled foundation model — the underlying AI technology that powers applications such as chatbots, digital assistants and increasingly complex automated systems.

Askal argued that open-source AI models, which can often be operated independently, do not yet consistently match the capabilities of leading proprietary systems. He also expressed concern that access to some models could become more restricted in the future.

His proposed solution is for Israel to develop its own advanced AI model, potentially in partnership with allied countries facing similar challenges.

"We need to build our own frontier model, but we do not have to build it alone," he said.

Israel is also looking beyond conventional computing. According to Askal, the government has issued a tender to establish an Israeli-built national quantum computer, a technology that could eventually solve certain computational problems beyond the practical reach of conventional machines.

Quantum computing remains an emerging field, however, and it is unclear when the technology will deliver major practical breakthroughs.

Israel has established the National Institute for Impact-Driven AI, known as NIA, to promote applications in health care, education and transportation.

A third component of the strategy focuses on areas where Israel already has established expertise, particularly cybersecurity and technologies that connect software with physical systems.

Known as "physical AI," the latter includes applications in which artificial intelligence interacts with the real world through machines, sensors and other hardware rather than operating solely on computers.

The government plans to promote professional retraining and skills development, alongside efforts involving schools, universities and the military.

Askal pointed to "Beyond Intelligence," an initiative launched last week at the President's Residence, which seeks to encourage public discussion about how artificial intelligence could reshape society.

"We need to talk about artificial intelligence not only in terms of technology, but also ask what kind of world we want to live in," Askal said.

Prof. Isaac Ben-Israel, chairman of the university's Blavatnik Interdisciplinary Cyber Research Center and Cyber Week, said the rapid development of AI was creating new cybersecurity challenges while also changing how digital threats are detected and addressed.

"Today, it is no longer possible to discuss cyber without AI, and AI cannot be developed without robust cybersecurity," he said.

"Countries that act will retain control," Askal said. "Israel has decided to act."

Sources

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.