By John Damon

Israel's AI Catch-Up Plan Targets Red Tape, Retrains Workers

Israel is launching a massive artificial intelligence initiative to catch up in the global tech race, aiming to retrain up to 4 million workers, cut government red tape, and build new data centers with US partnership to counter Chinese tech dominance. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government approved the sweeping policies on Tuesday, creating a roadmap that prioritizes free market innovation over heavy regulation.

How Israel Plans to Compete in the Global AI Race

While Israel dominates cybersecurity, it has lagged in broader artificial intelligence development. In October 2025, Netanyahu appointed Brig. Gen. (res.) Erez Askal as the country's first AI Chief to fix that. Askal works alongside Israel National Cyber Directorate Chief Yossi Karadi, and their shared intelligence background helps them cut through the bureaucracy.

Askal's bureau found that Israel's greatest AI strengths lie in combining cybersecurity with AI and developing edge solutions. These are practical, frontline applications that solve real world problems, from warfare to agriculture.