Since the outbreak of the war, the amount of false information and fake content on the internet has reached new heights. Much of this content is created using deep fake applications based on artificial intelligence. The fact that any internet user is now able to create synthetic content has made the issue of public diplomacy especially complex. It is vital, therefore, that there be a deep understanding both of the phenomenon and ways to confront the challenges it poses.
The use of drones by Hamas at the outset of its terror attack in the western Negev, which developed into the Swords of Iron war, illustrated the enormous danger posed by these devices, although they are based on simple, cheap off-the-shelf technologies. It is imperative to examine ways of dealing with this threat and other readily available technologies that could also pose strategic threats, for example, AI (artificial intelligence) applications.
On July 30, 2023, the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) hosted a conference on generative AI (artificial intelligence) and its impact on national security. Generative AI is a category of AI technologies that refers to the generation of types of content such as text, audio, and images using AI algorithms. Participants in the conference included figures from the sectors of hi-tech, higher education, and the security industry in Israel. They discussed at length the implications of the latest developments in generative AI –...
In recent years, Iran, using social media, has made several attempts to undermine Israel from within. In recent weeks, several networks operating against the backdrop of the widespread civil protest against the government’s would-be judicial revolution were revealed – networks that identified with both supporters and opponents of the plan. This activity seeks to take advantage of the civil protests against the proposed judicial overhaul to deepen the existing polarization and division. The threat of this foreign influence is a...
Since the start of the final quarter of 2022, China has worked vigorously to extricate itself from the internal crisis brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and the severe restrictions imposed by the Chinese government in the wake of the pandemic, which led to an economic slowdown and damaged China’s image as an emerging power. China’s image was also harmed by its identification as an ideological, political, economic, and security ally of Russia, the invader of Ukraine. The efforts to rehabilitate its image and weaken the wall that the...
In the digital era, social media have gained widespread popularity and become an important element of human culture. These platforms constitute a modern town square – a space for public discourse, where information and ideas flow rapidly. This article discusses the point where social media, as arenas for social and cultural conflict, intersect with strategic campaigns for cognitive impact, by examining the Korean pop community – also known as K-Pop – which connects people based on a musical genre and creates a cultural identity...
The war between Russia and Ukraine has seen extensive use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), including many unmanned aircraft produced by Iran. As the war enters its second year, it offers Israel a good opportunity to study enemy technologies and prepare accordingly, not via forecasts or wargames but through actual – and alarming – occurrences. The use of UAVs by non-Western parties as an alternative to an air force, along with the lethal attacks on civilians in Ukraine and the extensive collateral damage caused by UAVs, is highly...
Like all countries, Israel is influenced by the global geopolitical reality. In this reality, contrasting ideas and values play an important role, as they shape the interests and conduct of respective actors in the international arena. Leading conceptual and ideological polarities include liberal and democratic values vs. illiberal worldviews, support for globalization or isolation, and more. Thus, analysis must go beyond identifying the interests of international actors to also address the values they adhere to. Conduct in the...
Social media, which enhance interpersonal connections and champion freedom of speech, also embody negative elements that can heighten alienation and polarization in society, and even threaten national security and national resilience. Professional bots and trolls deepen existing social rifts and weaken the resilience of Israeli society. A timely example is the online cognitive campaign waged regarding the war in Ukraine. In Israel, however, there is insufficient attention to this phenomenon. The question arises, therefore, why have...
Energy consumption on earth is expected to rise in the coming decades, due to the increase in the world population and the economic and industrial growth of developing countries. One of the most effective and green alternatives for creating energy is nuclear fusion. The ITER, the international project to study nuclear fusion, is one of the ambitious ventures to construct a research reactor, and there are other projects that in recent years have achieved international breakthroughs in a field that is expected to become critical to the...
The fighting in Ukraine presents an opportunity for many countries, including Israel, to draw military-related lessons. Inter alia, the Russian attack in October 2022 using Iranian-made Shahed-136 drones should be an important lesson for the IDF and decision makers in Israel. Over the past decade, drones, including various kinds of attack drones, have turned from exclusive weapons in the hands of very few countries to widespread weapons that are also in the hands of failed and rogue states and non-state organizations. In view of...
