Israeli Tech Firms Hire AI VPs Earning Up to 90,000 Shekels Monthly to Drive AI Transformation

Israeli high-tech companies are increasingly appointing dedicated AI executives, such as Vice Presidents of AI, to lead comprehensive AI-driven transformations across product development, operations, customer service, and recruitment. These roles command salaries reaching up to 90,000 shekels per month, reflecting the strategic importance of integrating AI into business value despite the relative rarity of practical experience with autonomous AI agents.

Ziv Feld, Chief AI and Customer Officer at AppsFlyer, exemplifies this trend. Since joining AppsFlyer in 2013, he has expanded the Customer Success organization globally and now leads the company’s AI transformation with a mandate from CEO Oren Kaniel to become an AI-native company. Feld oversees end-to-end operational activities, including marketing, sales, finance, and AI-driven infrastructure improvements, focusing on developing autonomous AI agents and training internal AI champions to embed AI across departments.

Experts highlight that the AI VP role requires bridging strategy, product, data, and development to convert AI capabilities into measurable business advantages. Recruitment specialists note that salaries vary by company size, with enterprise firms offering 75,000 to 90,000 shekels monthly, scale-ups 58,000 to 72,000, and startups 46,000 to 65,000, often supplemented by equity and bonuses. Candidates typically come from senior roles in product, development, or data science rather than pure AI research.

Shlomit Livian, VP AI at Navina, stresses the dual focus on AI in the product and within the company, using AI to process complex medical data and improve internal workflows. Similarly, Cycode’s VP AI & ML, Roni Gurevich, describes leading the shift to AI agents automating cybersecurity tasks while maintaining human oversight. Both emphasize the importance of measured AI adoption, including safety mechanisms and organizational learning to avoid risks like data leaks, misinformation, and uncontrolled costs.

Academics and industry leaders agree that successful AI integration requires tailored approaches for different roles and departments, with AI acting as a companion to enhance decision-making and collaboration rather than a mere technical tool. The evolving AI leadership roles reflect a strategic shift in Israeli tech companies aiming to harness AI’s potential responsibly and effectively amid ongoing industry changes.