Publications

The conclusions of the National Committee for Accelerating the Field of Artificial Intelligence, chaired by Prof. Yaakov Nagel, which were published recently, proposed a wide-ranging vision for the role of artificial intelligence in the State of Israel. The report’s conclusions and recommendations carry significant economic costs and have led to extensive public criticism. A closer look at the recommendations—particularly those with significant costs—raises concerns that the Nagel Committee chose to focus on acquiring status symbols...

The world of artificial intelligence increasingly relies on large language models and chatbot applications. Through them, end users—from private individuals to government agencies—collect, generate, and consume most of the knowledge needed to manage their daily lives. Advanced nations are investing in building national language models that embody their culture, values, and national narratives. Israel has not yet developed such a model and must therefore rely on foreign systems and the narratives embedded within them. Just as the...

Electromagnetic bombs (EMBs) are weapons based on electromagnetic radiation in the microwave spectrum, with destructive potential against electronic systems including communications, control systems, computers, and electrical systems, up to the point of paralyzing security, economic, and health infrastructures. EMBs have inherent advantages: They operate at the speed of light, are easy to use, cover wide target ranges, and function under all environmental and weather conditions. There are several types of EMBs, and they can be...

The confrontation states and the terrorist organizations facing Israel are arming themselves with massive quantities of loitering munitions. Their low cost and ease of use make them a significant, clear, and immediate threat—especially when launched in swarms. Addressing this challenge will require substantial investment to improve detection and neutralization capabilities. This threat analysis concludes with recommendations for countering this threat.

The cloud market in the Middle East is emerging as a battleground in the global struggle for technological influence, where the United States and China are competing for control over digital infrastructure, the setting of technological standards, and the shaping of the rules that will govern the flow of information and data. China’s technological expansion in the region may gradually pose increasing challenges for Israel—necessitating the development of a strategic and technological policy to safeguard Israeli interests amid evolving...

Intercepting missiles and rockets at the earliest stage of their launch is an offensive action with a distinctly defensive character. Its goal is to prevent direct or collateral damage in the attacked state while inflicting maximum harm on the aggressor. For Israel, this interception method has a compounded advantage due to its small size, the threats posed by Iran and its proxies in both the near and far “ring of fire,” and the high potential for damage from strikes on civilian and military infrastructure. This article reviews the...

The global race for artificial intelligence (AI) supremacy is accelerating, and China’s latest move—the launch of the DeepSeek AI model—has sent shockwaves around the world. The technology industry, stock markets, academia, and governments are all evaluating whether this Chinese engineering breakthrough could also shift the geopolitical balance. In light of the challenges facing Israel’s National AI Program, the true efficiency and cost of this new Chinese model are examined against the officially published figures. The key takeaway...

Given Hezbollah’s increasing success in the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and the IDF’s limited success in intercepting them, we must ask whether the Israeli military is prepared to deal with a similar threat from unmanned systems in the maritime theater. Terrorist organizations like Hamas and the Houthis have started using these systems, which has created a new challenge for states and other international bodies. Currently, unmanned maritime systems (UMSs) are primarily used to protect ports, to SSW (subsea warfare), to...

Since the beginning of the Swords of Iron operation, Hezbollah has been using drones for intelligence gathering and launching attacks against Israel. Daily attacks using explosive drones have also become frequent, as well as rocket and anti-tank missile barrages and rotary drones. While some drones have been intercepted, many have breached Israeli defenses, causing casualties and property damage. Hezbollah mainly uses Iranian suicide drones and recently employed a missile-carrying drone for the first time, against Israel....

The ideas behind quantum computing were first proposed in the 1980s, but their accelerated development in the last decade heralds the beginning of a new scientific and technological revolution. This is because quantum computing comprises a breakthrough in a field in which “regular“ computing has almost reached its physical limits. The computational power of a digital computer depends on the number of chips per unit of area, but this number is limited for technological and physical reasons. The computer and chip industries are pushing...

Drones have been a significant weapon in the hands of Hamas, the terrorist organization that has been fighting against Israel since October 7. Before the outbreak of the war, there was no real use in the Middle East for FPV (first-person view) drones. They are incredibly fast, precise, relatively simple-to-operate, inexpensive and lethal weapon that has started to be in widespread use in the fighting between Russia and Ukraine, especially in the second half of 2023. The IDF must study the use of these drones in Europe, both as an...

In recent years the technological struggle between the United States and China has intensified. Washington has increased its efforts to deny Beijing access to advanced technologies and has announced huge investments to accelerate technological research and development, in order to secure its status as the world’s strongest economic power. At the same, time, the United States is demanding that its partners join the fight and adopt a policy of restricting China’s research, development, and manufacturing capabilities in the field of...