Israel risks losing national sovereignty to foreign firms without AI strategy, top official warns
Israel's AI Chief Erez Askal said Israel must dash forward to develop its own AI capabilities and data centers to support those capabilities, so that it retains its independence
Assessment
Israel's AI chief is sounding an alarm that goes beyond technology. Without domestic AI infrastructure and data centers, the country could become dependent on foreign companies for essential digital services. That dependency would erode decision making power over national security, economic policy, and citizen data. The warning puts pressure on the government to treat AI development as a sovereignty issue, not just an innovation goal.