Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu used a late-night conference call from Florida to frame artificial intelligence as a strategic national priority, explicitly linking Israel’s future technology posture to earlier successes in cybersecurity. 

The call, held “last night” according to Netanyahu’s statement, brought together four senior figures: Elon Musk, Transport Minister Miri Regev, and Erez Eskal, head of the National Artificial Intelligence Directorate. 

The timing matters. 

With a Smart Transportation Conference scheduled for March, roughly 2–3 months ahead, the outreach positions AI as an enabler of infrastructure, mobility, and national competitiveness rather than a standalone research agenda.

Netanyahu said he “spoke at length” with Musk about “promoting and developing artificial intelligence technologies in Israel,” underscoring continuity with past state-led technology drives. 

“We intend to propel Israel forward and turn it into a global leader in the field,” he said, adding that the country aims to replicate outcomes achieved in “cybersecurity and other technologies.” 

Musk accepted Netanyahu’s and Regev’s invitation to participate in the Smart Transportation Conference taking place in March, a concrete deliverable from the call. 

The presence of Musk, one of the world’s most visible technology entrepreneurs, serves a signaling function beyond the March event. Netanyahu highlighted that Musk “accepted my invitation,” a detail meant to underline international buy-in. 

Netanyahu’s statement avoided announcing partnerships, investments, or timelines beyond March.