Israel is increasingly leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to bolster its security and law enforcement efforts, effectively neutralizing numerous threats. Shin Bet Director Ronen Bar, speaking at the Cyber Week conference, highlighted the seamless integration of AI into the agency's operations, stating that it has enabled the identification of a substantial number of threats.
The Shin Bet, Israel's equivalent of the FBI or MI5, has developed its own generative AI platform similar to ChatGPT. This platform streamlines the agency's work by detecting surveillance anomalies and processing vast quantities of intelligence data. Bar revealed that since the start of 2022, the Shin Bet has addressed 600 ISIS-related cases, many involving violent content online, and prevented approximately 800 major attacks.
Bar emphasized the growing online influence on potential threats, stating, "The trend is clear. Traditional security organizations must adapt to the new situation, where any angry person with access to the Internet may become a threat." He further noted that AI has already helped identify a significant number of threats, acting as a protective shield alongside traditional security measures.
Retired Maj. Gen. Isaac Ben-Israel, director of the Blavatnik Interdisciplinary Cyber Research Center at Tel Aviv University, underscored the significant impact of the increasing use of AI on cybersecurity, both in terms of defense and the nature of cyberattacks. He emphasized the growing societal reliance on computers, necessitating robust cyberdefense strategies.
Gaby Portnoy, director-general of the Israel National Cyber Directorate, warned potential attackers about the consequences of targeting Israeli citizens. He highlighted the directorate's efforts to enhance cyber resilience, detect attacks, and expose malicious activities, particularly those originating from Iran, stating that the majority of attacks are successfully thwarted.
Portnoy also discussed the Cyber Directorate's collaborative projects, including a multinational cyber platform developed in partnership with the UAE for cyber investigation and knowledge sharing.
Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. has developed Puzzle, an AI-powered system that integrates and analyzes visual data, communications, and other information to create a comprehensive dataset. This system interfaces with existing command and control systems, helping prioritize targets efficiently within limited timeframes and enhancing AI targeting effectiveness. Puzzle effectively filters the massive influx of information handled by AI, allowing human analysts to remain integral to the process.
Israel continues to be at the forefront of AI advancements in security. The IDF's investment in AI has been described as a significant leap forward, despite concerns about potential escalation. The IDF successfully employed AI in a 2021 operation, targeting Hamas commanders and generating numerous new target assets using digital methods.
Ram Ben Tzion, founder and CEO of tech firm Ultra, highlighted Israel's reliance on innovation and technology to compensate for limited resources, particularly in data and intelligence gathering.
