Ex-IOF spies involved in Gaza genocide develop AI for int'l tech firms

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News websites
Today 08:46

Former members of Unit 8200, specializing in AI, machine learning, and big data, are reportedly now employed by major tech firms such as Meta, Google, Apple, Microsoft, OpenAI, and Nvidia.

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Two robotic guns sit atop a guard tower bristling with surveillance cameras pointed at the Aroub refugee camp in the West Bank, on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022 (AP)

The Israeli military's Unit 8200, a highly secretive cyber warfare division, is reportedly developing advanced artificial intelligence (AI) systems that have been implicated in facilitating "Israel's" genocide in Gaza, the ¡Do Not Panic! website reported on Friday.

According to the report, Unit 8200 is actively involved in building AI systems for leading global technology and AI companies.

Former members of Unit 8200, specializing in AI, machine learning, and big data, are now employed by major tech firms such as Meta, Google, Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, OpenAI, and Nvidia, recognized as the world's foremost AI company.

The website disclosed that these specialists are dispersed globally, with bases ranging from San Francisco and New York to Spain, Switzerland, London, and occupied al-Quds.

The Israeli military is using Amazon Web Services (AWS), #Microsoft Azure, and #Google Cloud for "military purposes" in Gaza, with #AWS providing “endless storage” for surveillance and targeting in the ongoing genocide.

Since October, their expanded use of these tech giants'… pic.twitter.com/XXJ9Ig95K3
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) August 7, 2024

The report further highlighted that many of these AI experts from Unit 8200 are now driving innovation in AI startups and being celebrated by corporate media as the next wave of AI leaders.

Notably, the report pointed out that these individuals overwhelmingly support "Israel's" genocide in Gaza, with no record of opposition to the Israeli military's actions.

Advocacy groups have asserted that AI and machine learning technologies are integral to the infrastructure of the Israeli occupation and apartheid policies, even before the start of the war on Gaza. This includes applications such as facial recognition technology, AI-directed firearms at checkpoints, and surveillance apps known as Blue Wolf and Red Wolf.

In a report in December, The Washington Post reported that "Israel" has spent more than a decade developing its "AI factory", a system used to support its military attacks on Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023.

Citing multiple sources familiar with "Israel’s" use of artificial intelligence in Gaza, the daily reported that the entity has been advancing AI technology for over 10 years to target locations in Gaza more efficiently.

Some sources, including former Israeli military personnel, expressed concern that the Israeli military’s use of AI has significantly increased civilian casualties.

The report reveals that AI systems, including “Gospel” and “Lavender", processed intelligence at an unprecedented pace, enabling the Israeli military to bomb 12,000 targets in Gaza in weeks.

Soldiers worked in what was described as a “target factory", prioritizing speed over intelligence assessment and reducing the time needed for evaluation to as little as three minutes.