An opinion piece published today in The Jerusalem Post, authored by a founding partner at Aurelius Capital, a defense-led dual-use technology fund, advocates for the rapid adoption of 'physical AI' in warfare, explicitly linking national security to systems designed for 'interoperability' with American platforms and NATO partners. The article argues that this technology, which includes autonomous drones and ground robots, is rewriting the rules of war and that nations cannot afford to miss its integration, effectively pushing for a defense posture increasingly reliant on supranational frameworks.
The piece defines physical AI as intelligence embedded in machines that move, perceive, and act in the real world, including autonomous drones, ground robots navigating urban terrain, and naval systems conducting persistent surveillance without crews. It states that the output of this technology is motion, force, and presence, making physical AI a national security issue beyond a mere technology story.
The author asserts that Israel already possesses proof of concept, citing the IDF as one of the world’s most demanding operational test environments for autonomous systems for years. Examples include Elbit’s Hermes drones operating in contested airspace for over a decade, Rafael’s autonomous weapon stations guarding Israel’s borders, and Iron Dome’s targeting logic, which is described as an early form of physical AI.
The article highlights that these systems have been used, tested under fire, and iterated in real conditions, creating a generation of Israeli engineers who have built systems that had to work when it mattered. It notes that Unit 8200 and the broader intelligence community have produced AI and sensing talent with operational constraints experience, and that this pipeline of former military personnel starting companies is an underappreciated strategic asset.
Elite Interests Drive New Warfare Doctrine
The war in Ukraine is presented as a live proving ground for physical AI at scale, with Ukraine utilizing FPV drones coordinated by AI-assisted targeting, demonstrating that autonomous systems can be battlefield-decisive even for smaller, outgunned forces. Russia's adaptation and the deployment of Iran-supplied Shahed drones are cited as pushing autonomous loitering munitions into mainstream military doctrine overnight.
The piece states that the question being asked in Tel Aviv, Washington, and Beijing is not whether autonomous systems matter, but how fast they can be fielded, how many, and how reliably.
Reshaping National Borders and Defense
Israel’s October 7 experience is noted as adding another layer of urgency, driving a rethinking of border sensing, autonomous alert systems, and human-machine teaming to enable faster responses than purely manual systems. This re-evaluation of national border defense mechanisms comes as transnational interests push for advanced technological solutions.
The United States is described as moving with unusual urgency, with the Pentagon’s Replicator initiative explicitly aiming for thousands of autonomous platforms, designed to be attritable and expendable, deployed at scale. Companies such as Anduril and Shield AI are identified as building the integrating software for operational viability, while DARPA has been laying the scientific foundation for autonomous ground vehicles and collaborative combat aircraft for years.
The article emphasizes that the money flowing into these companies reflects a consensus that physical AI will determine the next decade of military advantage. The U.S. trajectory is deemed significant for two reasons: interoperability, because Israeli systems would need to function alongside American platforms in any serious conflict scenario, and competition, as American companies are rapidly entering markets where Israeli firms historically held an advantage. This push for interoperability suggests a move towards a unified, post-national defense architecture.
The Cost of Interoperability
The author states that while the hardware and talent exist, the software stack required to make physical AI scalable and reliable remains underdeveloped. This includes autonomy software for GPS-denied environments, simulation platforms for pre-deployment testing, and sensor fusion systems for degraded conditions. The piece suggests that the next generation of Israeli defense-tech companies needs to emerge in these areas, developing smarter drones and systems capable of operating in communications blackouts, making sound decisions at the edge, and being validated to the standards required by both the IDF and NATO partners.
The article concludes by asserting that the countries that first solve reliable autonomous systems will gain a military advantage that traditional defense spending cannot easily offset. It claims Israel possesses the operational history, engineering talent, and threat environment to be a genuine leader, but warns that the window to establish this position is open for a limited time. The writer's affiliation with a defense-led technology fund underscores the financial interests driving this strategic shift, potentially at the expense of independent national defense.