Israel inaugurates an administration dedicated to AI and military autonomy to boost the efficiency of the Defense Forces and reduce human and material costs.

Israel has created the AI and Autonomy Administration, an office within the Ministry of Defense, to coordinate technological development in the fields of artificial intelligence and autonomous systems. This initiative aims to modernize the capabilities of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), particularly in the context of current conflicts. By bringing together military, academic and industrial experts, this strategic project seeks to optimize resources, reduce casualties, and maintain operational superiority in the Middle East.

A new center for military AI

Israel has established the AI and Autonomy Administration within the Ministry of Defense to strengthen the integration of advanced technologies into its military operations. The office, overseen by the Defense Research and Development Directorate, is part of an overall effort to modernize military tools. The main objective is to maintain the IDF’s strategic advantage in the Middle East through innovative technological solutions.

The role of this office is to unify the contributions of IDF technology units, university researchers, defense industries and startups. This collaboration aims to design more capable autonomous systems and use AI to analyze data in real time, which is crucial in complex combat environments.

A context of prolonged conflict

Since October 2023, Israel has been facing a protracted war against Hamas and Hezbollah. To date, 891 soldiers have been killed and more than 5,570 wounded. This unprecedented mobilization of 360,000 reservists has highlighted the budgetary and human constraints weighing on the IDF.

A third of these reservists served for more than 150 days, underlining the importance of introducing solutions to reduce reliance on a massive workforce. In response, the Ministry of Defense is developing systems capable of performing certain tasks autonomously, such as drone deployment or automated surveillance.

Economic and strategic consequences

The creation of this administration is part of a strategy to reduce operational costs while increasing military effectiveness. Protracted conflicts are putting considerable pressure on the military budget, which will represent around 5.2% of Israeli GDP in 2024, or €23 billion. Autonomous technology could save money in the long term by reducing personnel requirements and optimizing the use of existing equipment.

For example, the integration of autonomous drones for reconnaissance and combat missions can reduce training and maintenance costs for soldiers. At the same time, AI data analysis improves the accuracy of strikes, minimizing collateral losses and unnecessary expenditure.

Future prospects: hybrid battlefields

According to Eyal Zamir, Director General of the Ministry of Defense, future battlefields will incorporate teams combining soldiers and autonomous systems. These advances concern all fields, from intelligence to space, land and naval operations.

Examples of technologies under development include:

• Autonomous combat drones capable of operating in swarms.
• AI surveillance systems for real-time terrain analysis.
• Unmanned ground vehicles for logistics and explosive ordnance disposal missions.

These innovations should make it possible to triple the speed of missions while reducing human losses. However, they also raise ethical questions, particularly concerning decision-making by machines in conflict situations.

With the creation of the AI and Autonomy Administration, Israel is positioning itself at the forefront of global military innovation. By integrating autonomous systems and artificial intelligence algorithms, the country aims to preserve its regional superiority while limiting human losses and financial costs. This technological transition, while promising, will require rigorous management to reconcile innovation, ethics and efficiency.

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