Israel will focus its development efforts on quantum computing and physical artificial intelligence, with the objective of becoming a leading nation in both areas, the Prime Minister's Office National AI Directorate and the Finance Ministry Accountant General's Department announced on Tuesday. According to the release, the focus will be on developing a "locally produced quantum computer" under the newly released "Project Nexus," while also investing in physical AI solutions that enable the use of AI in real-life situations. The announcement is centered around "Government Decision 4255" and the national AI strategy, which will work as the inaugural projects of the National AI Directorate.
"Government Decision 4255 aims to secure Israel's place at the forefront of global AI. Our role is to accelerate the advancement of AI in Israel, which is why we are transitioning swiftly and professionally from defining vision and strategy to practical implementation on the ground, together with all government partners," said Brig.-Gen. (Res.) Erez Eskel, Director of the National AI Directorate. "The steps we are launching now are a central phase in securing our sovereign infrastructure while continuing to focus our efforts on the State of Israel's comparative advantages for long-term global leadership," he added. "The close collaboration between the Accountant General's Department and the National Directorate enables us to translate government decisions into practical, contractual mechanisms that will establish the required infrastructure on the ground," pointed out Senior Finance Ministry Deputy Accountant General for Innovation and Technology Evyatar Peretz.
Quantum Platform's Flexibility
The announcement also detailed that a Request for Information (RFI) will be published to "advance the establishment of Israeli sovereignty in foundational models, promote Israeli leadership, map market capabilities, and examine measures to maximize the State of Israel's comparative advantages." "The steps we are leading today, from quantum computing to Physical AI and foundational models, provide the industry and the economy with the necessary foundation to lower barriers, ensure technological sovereignty, and make global breakthroughs," Peretz said. Quantum computing has been one of the government's main concerns since 2018, with several programs aiming to push Israel among the five leading nations in the world in this field. Some of them showed results, such as the first domestically built quantum computer, using advanced superconducting technology, revealed in 2024, or the recent team-up between Israel's quantum computing startup Qedma and IBM to create a device capable of surpassing the performance of the world's most powerful supercomputer.
This last experiment was conducted by IBM on a quantum chip that it developed using superconducting technology, which contains 72 physical qubits - different units that allow different calculations to be performed simultaneously. Physical AI is gaining strength Another priority of the government is centered on physical AI, which can be seen in action with drones that don't require a pilot to reach their targets, or systems capable of organizing the energy usage of companies to save money on electricity. Arik Feingold, chairman and president of Commit, told The Jerusalem Post back in June that the next milestone the Israel Innovation Authority needs to set will be the development of these types of technologies.
"This is where our comparative advantage in planning, creativity, and integration truly shines," he explained. "If we steer the Innovation Authority toward encouraging deep-tech solutions that bridge AI with field operations, manufacturing, and industry, we will ensure the resilience of our ecosystem during these challenging times and also the next growth engines for the Israeli economy," he added.
Expanding AI Capabilities
The government also announced two Requests for Information. They want to expand Israel’s AI capabilities. One RFI is about a Physical AI testing ground. This is where AI systems can be tested in real-world conditions. These systems use robots, self-driving cars, sensors, and industrial tools. The government wants to create a space for testing these systems. It could help with areas like robotics and automation.
The second RFI is about building its own large AI models. These models are trained on big data sets. They can be used for tasks like language processing and image creation. By building these models, Israel wants to create a strong AI ecosystem. This will help different industries and applications. These steps fit with the bigger plan to grow Israel’s AI and computing strength.
Global Quantum and AI Trends
The Israeli strategy follows a global trend. Many countries are building domestic tech power in key areas. They are spending billions to reduce reliance on foreign technology. They want to strengthen their own research and industries. Israel’s plan shows it is following this path. The government says the projects are part of a bigger effort to grow the economy and keep leadership in tech.
Quantum computers work differently than regular ones. They use quantum rules to solve some types of problems. Current systems are still being tested. They won’t replace regular computers for most tasks. But they can solve difficult problems in fields like materials science and security. The Israeli government supports many quantum approaches. This shows it knows the field is diverse. It also needs an infrastructure that can change and adapt.
Israel already has strong quantum research. Work is happening in universities, startups, and big tech companies. The new platform should help all these groups. It will provide tools and support for advancing quantum computing. Israel wants to be a global leader in this field. Other countries are taking similar steps. They also want to build strong local expertise in quantum and AI.