Israel joined Pax Silica, a strategic AI initiative led by the United States that was unveiled during an international conference in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 12.
The Pax Silica Initiative is designed to unite global leaders in technology to establish a shared, prosperous economic order for the era of artificial intelligence.
The framework seeks to encompass the entire value chain, from production of critical minerals and energy to advanced manufacturing and chips, to AI infrastructure, data centers and logistics.
Avi Simhon, the head of Israel’s National Economic Council and the prime minister’s economic adviser, said at the conference that Israel’s presence was a “badge of honor” for the state and its high-tech industry, “which is considered a global leader in the fields of innovation and artificial intelligence.
“Together with our international partners, we are working to fortify the global AI industry, strengthen the resilience of supply chains, and ensure the economic and security prosperity of participating countries,” he added.
Also representing Israel at the conference were Chief Economist at the Ministry of Finance Shmuel Abramson, and the head of the newly established National Artificial Intelligence Directorate, IDF Brig. Gen. (res.) Erez Askal.
Nine countries, leaders in the fields of artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and advanced industries, attended the conference: Australia, Israel, Japan, the Netherlands, Singapore, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States.
The participants committed to partnering to strengthen critical supply chains, pursue joint ventures and strategic investments, protect sensitive technologies and infrastructure from hostile actors, and build a secure, reliable technology ecosystem spanning Information and Communication Technology (ICT), connectivity, data infrastructure and AI.
The name “Pax Silica” draws inspiration from the Latin term Pax—peace, stability and continuous prosperity—and the silica compound that forms the basis of silicon, the chemical component that enables the production of the chips necessary for the age of artificial intelligence.
