Ex-Shin Bet Chief Ronen Bar Joins AI Startup SpringAI as Advisor

Ronen Bar, the former head of Israel's General Security Service (Shin Bet), is now advising the Israeli startup SpringAI. The company specializes in analyzing social media algorithms to detect potential influence campaigns, according to a report by "Mako." Bar concluded his tenure as Shin Bet chief on June 15, 2025, after holding various senior positions within the agency, including head of operations and deputy chief.

SpringAI has not publicly announced its collaboration with Bar, and his name does not appear on the company's staff or official advisor list. Founded in 2025, the startup develops technology to analyze content dissemination on social media platforms. Its system aims to identify posts and videos receiving unusually high viewership, indicative of artificial promotion, coordinated campaigns, or attempts to influence political discourse.

In 2025, SpringAI analyzed content spread on TikTok during the New York mayoral election. The startup's findings suggested that posts supporting candidate Zohran Mamdani, or opposing him, garnered significantly more views than expected through organic reach. SpringAI is affiliated with BNF Group, an investment firm focused on cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and defense technologies. Rami Ben-Efraim, a retired brigadier general, is listed as a co-founder and director of SpringAI.