Should Israel Lead the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence?

In the 75+ years since its founding, Israel has gone from a fledgling state in the desert to a global high-tech powerhouse. It now ranks among the top four nations in artificial intelligence (AI) innovation, home to more than 3,500 AI startups and a magnet for global tech giants. But in a world increasingly shaped by algorithms and automation, Israel’s most urgent export may not be innovation—it may be ethics.

We are at a global inflection point. AI technologies are reshaping everything from how we wage war to how we diagnose illness, manage cities, and determine who gets a loan, a job—or a second chance. Deep fakes are warping truth, autonomous weapons are making life-and-death decisions, and opaque algorithms are reinforcing old biases with new code. The question is no longer whether AI should be guided by ethics, but who will lead that guidance.

Israel must. And not just because it can—but because it must.

The Startup Nation’s AI Moment

Israel’s AI ecosystem is electric. In 2022 alone, Israeli AI startups raised $9.2 billion in funding. Companies like Microsoft, NVIDIA, and Meta have embedded themselves in Tel Aviv and beyond. The government is actively backing AI development, recruiting global talent and crafting national AI policy. These are not just signals of success—they are markers of responsibility.

With this power comes a profound moral obligation, especially as AI becomes central to Israel’s military and surveillance operations. The use of AI in conflict zones—particularly during operations in Gaza—has triggered international concern. AI-assisted targeting systems, facial recognition for population monitoring, and predictive surveillance may improve tactical outcomes, but they also risk eroding human rights, privacy, and accountability.

Human Rights Watch and other observers have raised concerns about AI systems misclassifying targets, operating with limited transparency, and reducing ethical judgment to probabilistic outputs. Over reliance on algorithmic systems in high-stakes environments risks dehumanization, cognitive bias, and moral disengagement.

A Framework Rooted in Jewish Values

Israel’s opportunity lies not in rejecting AI, but in redefining its purpose—and doing so through a uniquely Jewish moral lens.

• Tikkun Olam (Repairing the World): Jewish tradition calls on us to use technology to advance justice, equity, and healing. AI must serve the vulnerable as much as the powerful. 
• Pikuach Nefesh (Preserving Life): Human life is sacrosanct. In military and civilian applications alike, AI must be designed to minimize harm, prevent errors, and preserve dignity. 
• Emet (Truth): Transparency is not optional. AI systems must be explainable and accountable, particularly when they influence real-world decisions. 
• Arvut (Collective Responsibility): Israel’s AI impact will not stop at its borders. As stewards of a global Jewish tradition, we must ensure that our technological creations serve the collective good of humanity. 

These values offer more than ancient wisdom. They are tools for modern governance.

Diaspora and Diversity: An Ethical Aliyah

This mission isn’t Israel’s alone. Jewish scientists, ethicists, and engineers across the diaspora—from Silicon Valley to Sydney—carry within them the same ethical DNA. Israel can become a convener, bringing together a global Jewish dialogue on the future of AI—an aliyah not just of bodies, but of values.

Moreover, ethical AI must be inclusive AI. Gender, racial, and cultural diversity are not side issues; they are central to building systems that reflect the full breadth of human experience. Israel’s leadership must reflect this, ensuring that women, minorities, and underrepresented voices are at the table—and in the code.

Interfaith and Intercultural Leadership

While Israel’s ethical lens is shaped by Jewish tradition, its leadership must also resonate across cultures and religions, seeking commonality. The principles of justice, human dignity, and truth are shared values. Israel’s AI model can become a bridge, not a boundary—offering a moral compass in a world hungry for clarity. AI doesn’t need a holy war—it needs a holy ethic.

Toward a New Covenant of AI Ethics

Israel is taking steps in the right direction. Its national AI policy outlines key priorities: bias reduction, transparency, regulatory oversight, and stakeholder engagement. But more is needed.

Why not go further?

• Host an international summit on ethical AI in Jerusalem, uniting technologists, philosophers, policymakers, and spiritual leaders, across the spectrum from around the globe. 
• Establish a TikkunTech initiative—a national accelerator that funds and scales ethical AI ventures in medicine, climate, education, and humanitarian tech. 
• Lead the drafting of an AI Ethics Accord modeled on the Geneva Conventions, embedding Jewish and universal values into the next phase of global tech governance. 

The World is Watching

Let Israel be known not just for its code, but for its conscience. Let us build not only smarter machines, but fairer ones. Let us make aliyah not just to the land, but to a higher moral purpose in the digital age.

As Rabbi Hillel once asked:
“If I am not for myself, who will be for me? But if I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?”

Now is the time.
Not just to lead.
But to lead right.