The Israeli government has appointed Brigadier General (Res.) Erez Askal as the first Director of the newly established National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Directorate within the Prime Minister’s Office, a move aimed at positioning Israel as a global leader in artificial intelligence innovation and governance.

According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office on Sunday, the Directorate was initiated by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as part of a national strategy to strengthen Israel’s technological edge and global competitiveness in AI. The new body will coordinate the country’s efforts across innovation, regulation, infrastructure, and research to accelerate AI development and deployment.

The National AI Directorate will be responsible for formulating Israel’s national plan for AI advancement, providing regulatory guidance to government ministries, and promoting the creation of advanced computing and research infrastructure, including domestic supercomputing capabilities. The Directorate will also serve as a central hub for international collaboration, expanding Israel’s partnerships with global technology leaders and institutions.

“The establishment of the National Artificial Intelligence Directorate marks a strategic leap in ensuring Israel’s leadership in the next technological revolution,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in its statement.

Brig.-Gen. Askal brings extensive experience from his distinguished military career, having previously served as Head of the Digital Transformation Directorate within the C4I and Cyber Defense Directorate, Commander of the Visual Intelligence Unit 9900, and in senior intelligence positions in the Air Force and the Military Intelligence Directorate’s Research Division.

Askal’s appointment reflects Israel’s growing focus on integrating AI across national security, governance, and the economy—an effort that aligns with the country’s broader innovation agenda and its ambitions to become a central force in shaping the global AI landscape.

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