Energy, Not AI, Is Israel’s Edge
In a Jerusalem Post article, Eitan Wachspress contends that Israel should focus on becoming a regional energy corridor rather than pursuing artificial intelligence dominance.
He argues that AI’s soaring electricity consumption—nearly 2% of global usage by 2022—poses unsustainable demands, especially for a country like Israel with limited energy resources.
Wachspress advocates for strategic investments in infrastructure, including land-based railways and pipelines connecting Eilat and the Bikaa region to Ashdod and Haifa ports. Positioned between the energy-rich Gulf and energy-hungry Europe, Israel could offer a reliable alternative to the Suez Canal for energy transit. He also encourages exploration of small modular nuclear reactors, which offer safer, scalable power generation to meet rising domestic and regional energy needs.
The piece challenges prevailing national priorities, suggesting that energy leadership—not AI prowess—holds greater long-term value for Israel’s economy and geopolitical relevance.
Read more in The Jerusalem Post: https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-848963#google_vignette
