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AI as Big Data Game Changer in the IDF – Special Interview

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The IDF considers information as a major asset. The most innovative technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), are applied in the complete process – from the collection of information through its aggregation in big data systems to making it accessible to the end-users, the soldiers in the field, says Lt. Col. Nurit Cohen Inger, Head of Sigma Branch, Matzpen, in the IDF, in a special interview to iHLS.

Lt. Col. Cohen Inger will speak about the road to AI from the IDF’s point of view, at the Big Data for Security and Intelligence Conference which will take place this week, on February 21, 2018, at the Lago Conference Center, Rishon LeZion.

Sigma Branch deals with information technologies and information research in the IDF. At the Conference, Lt. Col. Cohen Inger will elaborate on the ways the IDF has been applying cutting-edge AI technologies and on the lessons and insights drawn from the integration with AI.

The IDF has been using all the available digital tools in a vast array of fields – information technologies, IoT, and more – while the process is digital from end to end.

According to Lt. Col. Cohen Inger, the information gathered from the various systems and sensors is accumulated as big data. Teams specializing in data sciences analyze the information and create insights. In addition, various uses of AI are integrated, especially Deep Learning, in face recognition technologies, object identification in images and video, text production and even the ability to analyze sentiment and severity in texts.

Great emphasis has been put on the ability to make the new technologies accessible to the end users in a way that they would have confidence in these systems. The implementation of AI systems among the end users, the soldiers, has been carried out gradually, in stages, using infographics in order to explain processes so that the human and the technological factors would continue to work side by side.

Sigma Branch, which is up to date with cutting-edge technologies, is highly interested in learning from the civilian realm. They foster Open Innovation – learning from commercial companies, academic institutes, etc. – so that instead of inventing everything from scratch they adapt commercial technology to the military sector. For example, training an existing Deep Learning algorithm with the information relevant to the IDF, as the technology adaptation is executed by professionals. Basing on the same concept, the Branch also deals with open source.

According to Lt. Col. Cohen Inger, there are immense opportunities where the integration of AI improves processes. She envisions the IDF adopting more and more digital tools and AI in its workflow in all fields, improving processes and making them more accurate and reliable.

Experts from the IDF, the defense industries and the leading big data companies will take part in the coming Big Data for Security and Intelligence Conference and Exhibition. The event will be held on February 21, 2018 at the Lago Conference Center in Rishon LeZion.

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