# Israeli Army Focuses on Artificial Intelligence

Israeli leaders used the "Knowledge Well" automated program for the first time during last month's brief Gaza war, providing instant feedback on Palestinian rocket launches, such as their location, frequency, and range, via a WhatsApp-like platform. Colonel Eli Birnbaum, head of the Israeli army's Data and Operations Applications Unit, intends to use artificial intelligence to predict launch operations in the next confrontation. In an interview with Reuters, he stated, "This is the next exciting step; I want to be in a position where I can use the information better to make our ground forces effective." He mentioned that nearly half of Israel's military technology experts will focus on artificial intelligence by 2028, as part of a shift that began when he led the first machine learning platform designed to detect hacking attempts in 2016. He added that "there are several hundred individuals currently heavily involved in artificial intelligence-related projects, making up 20% of military technology experts," and he expects this number to reach thousands within five years. Birnbaum has received government support after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu raised the defense budget and pledged to make Israel "a power in artificial intelligence." During their mandatory service, which is two years for women and 32 months for men, military technology experts earn $335 a month. Birnbaum noted that the amount rises to about $2,300 in the first few years following this period, which is much lower than the $8,400 they could earn in similar civilian jobs.