Israel establishes new data infrastructures to accelerate AI development in healthcare and agriculture

Israel continues to strengthen its position as a hub for applied artificial intelligence with the launch of a new initiative to establish six data repositories in the healthcare and agriculture sectors. Developed with a total investment of approximately NIS 44 million, the repositories aim to address one of the key bottlenecks in advanced AI development: access to high-quality, standardized, large-scale data. The initiative seeks to transform data accumulated over years across healthcare, agriculture, and research systems into an accessible technological infrastructure that supports model training, computational clinical trials, and the development of commercial solutions.

From closed data to a national infrastructure

Unlike previous models, where data was typically stored in closed systems operated by hospitals, health funds, or agricultural bodies, the new repositories are designed to function as a controlled national infrastructure. This will allow public and private entities, including startups, academic institutions, and research organizations, to access data under clear frameworks for privacy, cybersecurity, and ethics. Beyond data collection, the initiative focuses on creating an AI-ready data layer, incorporating standardization, anonymization, and the ability to connect multiple data sources.

Healthcare, agriculture, and the intersection between them

The healthcare repositories will focus, among other areas, on oncology, neurological diseases, obesity, and advanced drug therapies, including clinical, proteomic, and long-term treatment data. In agriculture, the emphasis will be on environmental data, crops, climate, and farm management, with the stated goal of supporting climate resilience, addressing labor shortages, and improving productivity.

The decision to combine healthcare and agriculture is deliberate. Both sectors offer particularly high potential for AI applications, yet also suffer from significant data gaps that hinder the transition from research to real-world deployment.

A competitive advantage for the Israeli industry

Industry observers estimate that the new repositories could become a strategic asset for Israel’s AI ecosystem, particularly for companies operating in complex regulatory environments. Access to high-quality local data is expected to shorten development cycles, improve model accuracy, and facilitate international collaboration.

The initiative is part of Israel’s national artificial intelligence program and is led by the Israel Innovation Authority in cooperation with the Ministry of Economy and Industry, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, and the Tekuma Administration. According to the Innovation Authority, the goal is not only to support research, but also to create a growth engine that strengthens the ability of Israeli companies to compete in global markets where data infrastructure is becoming a decisive factor.

Source: TechTime