Israel drops in global AI rankings, lacking national strategy, leadership - state comptroller

The report criticized a failure by the government to follow the recommendations of professional committees and allocate sufficient budgets.

By EVE YOUNG NOVEMBER 12, 2024 15:59

Words reading "Artificial intelligence AI", miniature of robot and toy hand are pictured in this illustration taken December 14, 2023. (photo credit: DADO RUVIC/REUTERS)

There is no long-term national strategy for artificial intelligence, meaning that "it is not surprising that [Israel] has dropped in international rankings," State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman said in a report released Tuesday.

Israel dropped in multiple international rankings, going from 5th place of 62 to 9th place of 83 countries ranked in the Tortoise Index and dropping from 20th to 30th place out of 193 in the Oxford ranking, among others, between 2019 and 2024, the report said.

This is unsurprising given a number of factors, including a lack of government leadership or a national plan, the report found.

The Science and Technology Ministry created a plan in 2022, but this was shelved when the government changed in 2023, even though the plan was not impacted by political disagreement, said the comptroller.

"There is no justification for the fact that the change of governments would stop a plan that is not related to a political argument and whose goal is to move Israel forward in a global revolution that will only get bigger in coming years," said Englman.

Matanyahu Englman - The State Comptroller of Israel, Local Government Conference 2024 (credit: REUVEN CASTRO)

The report also criticized a failure by the government to follow the recommendations of professional committees and allocate sufficient budgets or utilize those allocated.

There has also been a failure to create proper AI regulation "in spite of the risks that exist for AI technology and the need to formalize its use responsibly while safeguarding basic rights," said the report.

Proposed regulation has yet to be approved by the government 

A proposed plan for this regulation, created by the Science and Technology Ministry and the Justice Ministry, has yet to be approved by the government, and Israel is behind Europe when it comes to regulation, the comptroller's report added.

The report also highlighted insufficient computing infrastructure for Israel to be a global leader, citing lacking supercomputing capacity and a failure to utilize funds intended for infrastructure for training large models - necessary for advancing AI technology.

"To maintain Israel's technological and scientific superiority in the field of artificial intelligence, which has been designated a national priority, the Science and Technology Ministry must lead government policy in this area and act in accordance with the government decision and the former minister's agreement with the National Security Council," the comptroller said.

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The comptroller also recommended that the prime minister track the progress of the government's handling of the subject through the council to ensure that national goals are met.