The first high-level strategic dialogue on technology cooperation between Israel and the US was held yesterday, at the White House in Washington. The dialogue was agreed on during US President Joe Biden's visit to Israel this past July and in the Jerusalem Declaration, which was signed by Prime Minister Yair Lapid and President Joe Biden.
The Israeli delegation to the Dialogue was led by Innovation, Science and Technology Minister Orit Farkash-Hacohen and National Security Council Director Dr. Eyal Hulata.
Lapid: A Select Group
Prime Minister Lapid praised the opening of the Strategic Dialogue on Technology and said:
"The launch of our strategic dialogue on technology cooperation and the establishment of bilateral working groups are important steps in taking the US-Israel relationship to new heights. The Jerusalem Declaration opens the door for Israel to join a select, prestigious group of countries with which the US is promoting research at the highest level, on subjects that currently top the scientific agenda.”
Innovation, Science and Technology Minister Farkash-Hakohen:
"In both Israel and the US, the understanding is that the global – as well as national – challenges of both countries are in advanced technology.
The working groups have built the frameworks for working together in strategic fields and are expected to create breakthroughs in AI, climate, dealing with pandemics, quantum computing among others. I thank the Director of the National Security Council and all those civil servants who took part in the talks on this important cooperation and work."
National Security Council Director Hulata:
"This important and rare event expresses both the importance that the two countries ascribe to technology and national security, as well as the even greater importance of bilateral cooperation on the issue. Together, the strengths of Israel and the US, countries of innovation and initiative, have a better chance of meeting the challenges before us."
A Global AI Standard
During the dialogue, discussions were held by several bilateral working groups, including on climate change, pandemic preparedness and AI, in which concrete steps for cooperation between the two countries were determined.
The working group on AI decided that a joint White House-Innovation, Science and Technology Ministry team would, in international forums such as the OECD, promote a global standard on reliable AI that encourages initiatives and innovation, and on unique cooperation with the US Department of Veterans Affairs to promote mental health among discharged soldiers.
In health, it was decided that both countries would sign MOUs next month. The joint group also decided on making Israeli and American government data more accessible to public health researchers in order to better predict pandemics among other threats, and on cooperation in order to develop risk reduction mechanisms in the technological development of drugs and vaccines. It was also agreed to establish a joint framework to prevent discrimination on the basis of factors such as sex, race and ethnic groups in AI in health services in both Israel and the US.
Three issues were presented in the working group on climate change: Food security, hydrogen-based energy and the early prediction of extreme climate events and ways to reduce damage from them. The group decided to advance these issues in order to develop useful products.
The working group will meet during COP27 to formulate procedures to implement the three plans. It was also decided to establish a joint team with the USDA to develop uses in AI in order to identify agricultural growths that could be damaged as a result of climate change and to use AI in order to make genetic modifications so as to create crops that are more resistant to climate change.