Israel’s National AI Strategic Plan

In August 2026, Israel’s National Artificial Intelligence Directorate, part of the Prime Minister’s Office, published a national plan intended to make Israel a global AI power while using the technology to improve citizens’ lives. Formulated pursuant to Government Resolution 4255, the plan called for a National AI Institute, five regional “acceleration reactors,” dedicated cybersecurity laboratories, investment in physical AI, expanded education and workforce training, and greater access to data, energy, chips, and computing infrastructure. It also proposed securing at least 100,000 advanced AI accelerators, developing Israeli AI models, establishing a National Ethics Council, and building international partnerships anchored in the U.S.-Israel relationship. The following is an executive summary of the plan.

Israel’s National Artificial Intelligence Strategic Plan was published in August 2026 by the Israel National Artificial Intelligence Directorate in the Prime Minister’s Office. Introduced by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Directorate head Erez Askal, the plan translated Government Resolution 4255, “Accelerating Artificial Intelligence in Israel and Establishing Global Leadership,” into a framework for national action.

The strategy established two central objectives: making Israel a global artificial intelligence powerhouse and converting that technological strength into economic growth, greater national security, and measurable improvements in daily life. Its organizing concept, described as “Lived AI,” envisioned Israel becoming a testing ground where artificial intelligence moves beyond experimental models and becomes integrated into healthcare, education, agriculture, manufacturing, transportation, government services, and other real-world systems.

The plan identified four Israeli advantages: experience solving complex problems with limited resources; expertise connecting software and intelligence with systems operating in the physical world; international leadership in cybersecurity; and a scientific research community disproportionate to the country’s size. It proposed leveraging these strengths through three pillars:

1. The machinery of “Lived AI.” A National Institute for Impact-Driven AI Applications would coordinate government, academia, industry, and entrepreneurs. Five “acceleration reactors” would develop and implement solutions to specific national problems, with at least two located in Israel’s periphery. The plan also called for three cybersecurity laboratories focused on protecting AI systems, using AI for cyber defense, and combating synthetic media and forgery. Physical AI would receive particular attention in healthcare, transportation, space, and agriculture, supported by regulatory sandboxes, a national testing facility, and a proposed Israeli safety standard for autonomous systems.
2. National capabilities and infrastructure. The education system would strengthen literacy, English, and STEM instruction while gradually introducing AI literacy from kindergarten. Universities would expand AI training and retraining programs, and Israel would seek to attract or repatriate leading researchers through new academic positions, expedited visas, and tax incentives. Workforce programs would help employees adapt to AI-driven changes.
3. Israel would seek access to at least 100,000 advanced AI accelerators, beginning with a dedicated capacity of 5,000. Additional proposals included developing an Israeli quantum computer, attracting an international partner to establish a semiconductor fabrication facility using technology at or beyond 5 nanometers, expanding the energy supply needed for data centers, and examining the feasibility of computing infrastructure in low Earth orbit.
4. The strategy also proposed examining a national data marketplace and establishing a “Privacy and Data Factory” to aggregate, anonymize, standardize, and label information for AI development. Israel would support models adapted to its languages, culture, history, and national needs, reduce dependence on foreign models in sensitive fields, and work with international companies to counter bias against Israel and Jewish communities in global AI systems.
5. On regulation, the plan sought to remove barriers without compromising privacy, transparency, or democratic rights. It proposed examining a regulatory “right of way” for AI systems that demonstrably outperform humans, maintaining compatibility with international frameworks such as the European Union’s GDPR, and establishing a National Ethics Council to advise the government on fairness, privacy, transparency, and human oversight.
6. International alliances and global leadership. The plan placed Israel’s strategic relationship with the United States at the center of efforts to secure access to chips, advanced computing, energy, research networks, and emerging technologies. It also called for cooperation through the Abraham Accords, I2U2, and the emerging Pax Silica framework. Israel would offer its expertise in cybersecurity, defense technology, physical AI, and applied research in return for access to critical capabilities.

The government also envisioned dedicated relationships with major technology companies, a global network connecting Israeli AI experts abroad with the domestic ecosystem, and greater Israeli participation in shaping international AI regulations, standards, and ethical principles.

The plan emphasized that Israel’s success would ultimately be measured not by rankings or the amount of infrastructure constructed, but by tangible outcomes: faster medical diagnoses, more individualized education, increased productivity, improved agriculture, and more accessible public services. It provided a strategic framework for the coming decade, with detailed inter-ministerial implementation plans expected to follow.

Source: “Israel’s National AI Strategic Plan,” Israel Prime Minister’s Office, (August 13, 2026).