Israel Aims to Lead in AI but Must Prioritize Citizen Services

Israel aspires to be a global leader in artificial intelligence, focusing its national policy on building computing infrastructure, research, human capital, economic growth, national resilience, and international standing. However, current strategies treat improving citizens' quality of life as a secondary benefit rather than a primary goal. While citizens are mentioned, the main focus remains on strengthening the state's technological independence and competitive power.

Experts argue that this priority should shift. Government AI should go beyond bureaucratic chatbots to actively assist citizens by scheduling medical appointments, facilitating small business registrations, identifying social benefit eligibility, and optimizing public transportation routes. In education, AI could help identify learning gaps and support teachers without intrusive surveillance. Additionally, AI-driven robotics could reduce housing and transportation costs by lowering construction expenses and improving public service efficiency.

Policy documents reveal that citizens are still not central: the national AI vision prioritizes "global leadership," with public sector implementation ranked third among five goals. The national AI headquarters was established only at the end of 2025, despite generative AI tools becoming widely available in late 2022. By mid-2026, the government was still soliciting public input on national AI challenges, indicating a lag in practical deployment.

A June 2026 State Comptroller report on 70 public bodies found only 18% had defined AI strategies, 58% lacked dedicated budgets, and 41% operated without data governance frameworks. These gaps translate into delays and frustration for citizens. Although a December 2025 government decision set "excellent public service" as the top priority and the national AI headquarters presented applications for education, health, and transportation in July 2026, there remains a disconnect between ambitious declarations and tangible citizen benefits.

The government is urged to select a limited number of services to implement within 12 to 18 months, with clear accountability, budgets, launch dates, and public performance metrics including wait times, form reductions, rights fulfillment, accessibility, privacy protections, equity assessments, and appeal rights. Israel’s AI strength should be measured not only by its researchers and startups but also by the hours saved and problems solved for its citizens. A citizen-centered AI policy is essential to enhance both state power and everyday life.

Dr. Gadi Perl, research coordinator at the Federman Cybersecurity Research Center at the Hebrew University, authored this analysis. His doctoral work focuses on AI regulation.