By Nneka Nwogwugwu
U.S. President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid have formally launched Wednesday a new strategic high-level dialogue on technology, tasked with taking on global challenges and emerging technologies.
The initiative will focus on issues including pandemic preparedness, climate change, implementation of artificial intelligence and trusted technology ecosystems, according to a joint statement from the U.S. and Israeli leaders.
The new partnership will convene annually, alternating between the United States and Israel, with the first meeting set to occur in Israel this fall, where they will discuss advancing specific projects.
One of the U.S. collaborators, Anne Neuberger – Biden’s deputy national security adviser for cyber and emerging technology – is accompanying the president on his trip to Israel and Saudi Arabia this week.
The venture will explore cooperative tech R&D ventures related to pandemic preparedness, including “technology for disease surveillance and early warning, and for rapid medical countermeasure responses.”
The two countries will also collaborate on technology aimed at addressing climate change, including “cooperative R&D ventures and/or deploying technologies to drive equitable climate solutions (e.g., water reuse, solid waste management, clean and renewable energy),” according to the press statement.
They will also address challenges relating to trustworthy AI, such as “large scale planning, implementation and logistical challenges through multidimensional optimization by means of cutting-edge AI in the fields of transportation, medicine and agriculture.”
