By Arie Egozi, Autonomy Global – Ambassador for Israel
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) leaders have launched a new artificial intelligence (AI) division inside the C4I and Cyber Defense Directorate to consolidate many of the military’s existing AI projects into a single operational-technological unit. The intent: to “multiply” combat power on land, at sea and in the air. The move reflects lessons from recent conflicts with Iran and in Gaza, where AI-enabled systems have already played a prominent role in intelligence processing, targeting and multi-domain operations (MDO) and command and control (C2).
New IDF AI Division
The new Information and Artificial Intelligence Division brings together AI efforts that were previously scattered across multiple IDF units, including software, data and cloud organizations such as Mamram and other digital transformation centers. Positioned within the C4I and Cyber Defense Directorate, the division will develop big data, AI, cloud computing and operational software capabilities that support decision-making across the entire force.
According to defense officials, they designed the unit to enhance real-time situational awareness and connectivity across the battlespace for faster and more accurate targeting and mission execution. The division’s charter explicitly links AI development to MDOs, spectrum dominance and cyber resilience against increasingly sophisticated threats from Iran, Hezbollah and other adversaries.
Reservist-Led Innovation Engine
A distinctive feature of the AI division is a new unit composed largely of IDF reservists, who bring advanced skills from Israel’s civilian high-tech sector. During recent conflicts, commanders noted that reservist engineers and data scientists were able to solve complex operational problems in days that regular units had struggled with for months. This prompted the decision to formalize this talent pool inside the new structure
By embedding experienced AI and software professionals into a standing operational unit, the IDF aims to rapidly prototype and deploy new tools that respond directly to battlefield lessons learned. This includes those emerging from high-intensity combat in Gaza and during the 12‑day confrontation with Iran. This model should shorten the cycle from concept to combat-proven capability, while maintaining strict human oversight of AI-enabled decision-support systems.
Combat-Proven AI Systems
Israel has already used AI at scale in systems such as “Gospel” (Habsora), an intelligence and targeting engine fielded around 2021 that helps generate large volumes of strike recommendations from fused, digitized data sources, including imagery and communications intercepts. In Gaza and other theaters, AI-driven tools like Fire Factory have been used to optimize weapons loads, assign aircraft and unmanned systems to pre-approved targets and build time-sensitive strike plans intended to increase efficiency and precision.
Unit 8200, the IDF’s elite intelligence formation, has been central to developing AI applications for surveillance, pattern recognition and predictive analysis that feed systems like Gospel and support both targeting and force protection. AI capabilities have also been integrated into C2 for unmanned platforms such as Elbit’s Legion-X networked autonomous systems and advanced guided weapons like Rafael’s SPIKE LR II to enable real-time tracking and engagement with reduced operator workload.
AI Across Israel’s Arsenal
Beyond offensive targeting, Israel has embedded AI into air and missile defense systems. Prominent examples include enhancements to Iron Dome, and autonomous or semi-autonomous UAVs such as Golden Eagle that support persistent ISR and precision strike missions. Senior IDF officials have described recent Gaza campaigns as among the first conflicts where they leveraged AI, robotics and autonomous systems heavily into day-to-day operations, from target generation to logistics planning.
Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Isaac Ben He, a former head of the Analysis and Assessment Division in the Israeli Air Force’s Air Intelligence Directorate, told Autonomy Global that modern AI tools can, for example, track mobile ballistic missile launchers that adversaries move frequently to evade detection. Multiple sensors surveil wide areas. But instead of operators reviewing endless hours of imagery, AI systems can screen the feeds in seconds. They can also flag the specific launcher that must be targeted for destruction. This turns data overload into actionable effects.
Legal, Ethical and Operational Oversight
International scrutiny of AI-assisted targeting in Gaza has intensified, with analysts and legal experts questioning how systems like Gospel and Fire Factory are governed to ensure compliance with the laws of armed conflict and to minimize civilian harm. Israeli officials stress that these platforms provide recommendations rather than fully autonomous decisions, with human commanders retaining final authority over strikes and rules of engagement.
The establishment of a centralized AI division is expected to strengthen governance, testing and standardization around AI development and deployment inside the IDF. By consolidating responsibility for data management, model training and operational integration, the IDF aims to harness AI’s advantages in speed and scale while maintaining human judgment and accountability in lethal operations.