Major Gen. (Ret.) Prof. Isaac Ben-Israel serves as Head of the Blavatnik Interdisciplinary Cyber Research Center (ICRC). Additionally, he serves as Chairman of the Yuval Ne’eman Workshop for Science, Technology and Security, Chairman of the Israeli Space Agency in the Ministry of Science, Technology and Space.
Isaac Ben-Israel was born in Israel (Tel-Aviv), 1949. He studied Mathematics, Physics and Philosophy at Tel-Aviv University, receiving his Ph.D. in 1988. He joined the Israel Air Force (IAF) after graduating high school (1967) and has served continuously up to his retirement (2002). During his service, Isaac Ben-Israel has held several posts in operations, intelligence and weapon development units of the IAF. He headed the IAF Operations Research Branch, Analysis and Assessment Division of IAF Intelligence, and was the Head of Military R&D in Israel Defence Forces and Ministry of Defence (1991-1997). In January 1998 he was promoted to Major General and appointed as Director of Defence R&D Directorate in IMOD. During his service he received twice the Israeli Defence Award.
After retirement from the IDF Isaac Ben Israel joined the University of Tel-Aviv as a professor and was the head of Curiel Centre for International Studies (2002-2004), the head of the Program for Security Studies (2004-2007), Executive Director of the Interdisciplinary Centre for Technological Analysis & Forecasting at Tel-Aviv University (ICTAF) (2010-2013), Deputy Director of the Hartog School of Government and Policy in Tel-Aviv University (2005-2015) and a member of Jaffe Centre for Strategic Studies (2002-2004). In 2002 he founded and headed the Yuval Ne’eman Workshop for Science, Technology and Security. He was a member of the Board of Trustees of Ariel University Centre (2009-2011), and a member of the advisory council of Neaman Institute for Advanced Studies in Science and Technology at the Technion (2000-2010). In 2002 he founded RAY-TOP (Technology Opportunities) Ltd, consulting governments and industries in technological and strategic issues.
Professor Ben-Israel was a member of the 17th Knesset (Israeli Parliament) between June 2007 and February 2009. During this period he was a member of the Security and Foreign Affairs Committee, the Finance Committee, the Science & Technology committee, the Chairman of the Homeland Security Sub Committee and the Chairman of the Israeli–Indian Parliamentary Friendship Association.
In 2011 he was appointed by the Prime Minister to lead a task force that formulated Israel national cyber policy. Following that he founded the National Cyber Headquarters in the PM Office. In 2014 he was appointed again by the PM to lead another task force which resulted in a government decision (February 2015) to set up a new National Cyber Authority. Isaac Ben Israel was a member of the board of directors of IAI (2000-2002), the board of the Israel Corp. (2004-2007) and the R&D advisory board of TEVA (2003-2007) and Chairman of the Technion Entrepreneurial Incubator (2007). He was the Chairman of Israel National R&D council between 2010-2016.
Professor Ben-Israel has written numerous papers on military and security issues. His book Dialogues on Science and Military Intelligence (1989) won the Itzhak-Sade Award for Military Literature. His book on The Philosophy of Military Intelligence had been published by the Broadcast University (1999) and has been translated into French (2004). His book Science, Technology and Security: From Soldiers in Combat up to Outer Space, was published in 2006. His book on Israel Defence Doctrine was published in 2013.
Isaac is married to Inbal (née Marcus) and they have three sons: Yuval (1981), Roy (1984) and Alon (1988).
Current Positions
– Chairman of Israel Space Agency (since 2005).
– Professor at Tel-Aviv University, teaching at the Security Studies Program (since 2002) and at the Cohen Institute for the History & Philosophy of Sciences and Ideas (since 1989).
– Positions at Tel-Aviv University:
* Head of Security Studies Program (since 2004-2007, 2010-).
* Head of the Blavatnik Interdisciplinary Cyber Studies Centre (since 2014)
* Head of the Yuval Ne’eman Workshop for Science, Technology and Security (since 2002).
– Member of the board of Fisher Institute for Air and Space Strategic Studies (since 2000)
– Member of the academic council of Afeka – Tel-Aviv Academic College of Engineering(since 2003)
– Founder and CEO of RAY TOP Technologies Ltd. (since 2002)
– Founder and CEO of RAY TOP SINGAPORE Pte. Ltd. (since 2003)
– Partner at Cyber Security Group (since 2016)
– Member of the Advisory Board of RED DOT fund (since 2016)
Positions and Memberships abroad
– Member of IAA – International Academy of Astronautics (since 2012)
– Member of Singapore RIEC – Research, Innovation and Enterprise Council (since 2012)
– Member of the Board of the Agency for Science, Technology & Research in Singapore – A*STAR (since 2013)
– Commissioner at GCSC – Global Commission on the Stability of Cyberspace (since 2017)
Prizes and Awards
1972 Israel Defence Award, for developing an airborne weapon delivery system for F-4E.
1976 Israel Air Force Award, for developing a C4 system.
1984 IDF Director of military Intelligence Prize for Creative Thinking.
1990 Itzhak-Sade Award for Military Literature, for the book Dialogues on Science and Military Intelligence.
2001 Israel Defence Award (Second time), for a project introducing a new concept of future warfare.
2002 Singapore Defence Technology Distinguished Award for his “outstanding contribution to bilateral defence relations between Israel and Singapore”.
2008 Lions “Man of Excellence”, for his contribution to Israel Security.
Since 2017, over 30 countries have published national strategies or national plans in the field of artificial intelligence, followed by billions of dollar as investments.
Artificial Intelligence technologies have already tremendous economic potential in the private and business sector. Gartner and McKinsey estimate the value of the global AI market in 2019 at USD 1.9 trillion and forecast 3.9 trillion USD for 2022. The market value in the next five years is estimated to increase by 600-800 billion USD annually. There are reasons to believe it will be even more so in the post-Corona era.
Two technological revolutions – the information and communication revolution and the cyber one - have shaped the development of modern economy and made the high-tech industry a main growth engine. Now it's AI's turn. Those who implement AI technology will have significant advantage in post-Corona era.
Major Gen. (Ret.) Prof. Isaac Ben-Israel serves as Head of the Blavatnik Interdisciplinary Cyber Research Center (ICRC). Additionally, he serves as Chairman of the Yuval Ne’eman Workshop for Science, Technology and Security, Chairman of the Israeli Space Agency in the Ministry of Science, Technology and Space.
Isaac Ben-Israel was born in Israel (Tel-Aviv), 1949. He studied Mathematics, Physics and Philosophy at Tel-Aviv University, receiving his Ph.D. in 1988. He joined the Israel Air Force (IAF) after graduating high school (1967) and has served continuously up to his retirement (2002). During his service, Isaac Ben-Israel has held several posts in operations, intelligence and weapon development units of the IAF. He headed the IAF Operations Research Branch, Analysis and Assessment Division of IAF Intelligence, and was the Head of Military R&D in Israel Defence Forces and Ministry of Defence (1991-1997). In January 1998 he was promoted to Major General and appointed as Director of Defence R&D Directorate in IMOD. During his service he received twice the Israeli Defence Award.
After retirement from the IDF Isaac Ben Israel joined the University of Tel-Aviv as a professor and was the head of Curiel Centre for International Studies (2002-2004), the head of the Program for Security Studies (2004-2007), Executive Director of the Interdisciplinary Centre for Technological Analysis & Forecasting at Tel-Aviv University (ICTAF) (2010-2013), Deputy Director of the Hartog School of Government and Policy in Tel-Aviv University (2005-2015) and a member of Jaffe Centre for Strategic Studies (2002-2004). In 2002 he founded and headed the Yuval Ne’eman Workshop for Science, Technology and Security. He was a member of the Board of Trustees of Ariel University Centre (2009-2011), and a member of the advisory council of Neaman Institute for Advanced Studies in Science and Technology at the Technion (2000-2010). In 2002 he founded RAY-TOP (Technology Opportunities) Ltd, consulting governments and industries in technological and strategic issues.
Professor Ben-Israel was a member of the 17th Knesset (Israeli Parliament) between June 2007 and February 2009. During this period he was a member of the Security and Foreign Affairs Committee, the Finance Committee, the Science & Technology committee, the Chairman of the Homeland Security Sub Committee and the Chairman of the Israeli–Indian Parliamentary Friendship Association.
In 2011 he was appointed by the Prime Minister to lead a task force that formulated Israel national cyber policy. Following that he founded the National Cyber Headquarters in the PM Office. In 2014 he was appointed again by the PM to lead another task force which resulted in a government decision (February 2015) to set up a new National Cyber Authority. Isaac Ben Israel was a member of the board of directors of IAI (2000-2002), the board of the Israel Corp. (2004-2007) and the R&D advisory board of TEVA (2003-2007) and Chairman of the Technion Entrepreneurial Incubator (2007). He was the Chairman of Israel National R&D council between 2010-2016.
Professor Ben-Israel has written numerous papers on military and security issues. His book Dialogues on Science and Military Intelligence (1989) won the Itzhak-Sade Award for Military Literature. His book on The Philosophy of Military Intelligence had been published by the Broadcast University (1999) and has been translated into French (2004). His book Science, Technology and Security: From Soldiers in Combat up to Outer Space, was published in 2006. His book on Israel Defence Doctrine was published in 2013.
Isaac is married to Inbal (née Marcus) and they have three sons: Yuval (1981), Roy (1984) and Alon (1988).
Current Positions
– Chairman of Israel Space Agency (since 2005).
– Professor at Tel-Aviv University, teaching at the Security Studies Program (since 2002) and at the Cohen Institute for the History & Philosophy of Sciences and Ideas (since 1989).
– Positions at Tel-Aviv University:
* Head of Security Studies Program (since 2004-2007, 2010-).
* Head of the Blavatnik Interdisciplinary Cyber Studies Centre (since 2014)
* Head of the Yuval Ne’eman Workshop for Science, Technology and Security (since 2002).
– Member of the board of Fisher Institute for Air and Space Strategic Studies (since 2000)
– Member of the academic council of Afeka – Tel-Aviv Academic College of Engineering(since 2003)
– Founder and CEO of RAY TOP Technologies Ltd. (since 2002)
– Founder and CEO of RAY TOP SINGAPORE Pte. Ltd. (since 2003)
– Partner at Cyber Security Group (since 2016)
– Member of the Advisory Board of RED DOT fund (since 2016)
Positions and Memberships abroad
– Member of IAA – International Academy of Astronautics (since 2012)
– Member of Singapore RIEC – Research, Innovation and Enterprise Council (since 2012)
– Member of the Board of the Agency for Science, Technology & Research in Singapore – A*STAR (since 2013)
– Commissioner at GCSC – Global Commission on the Stability of Cyberspace (since 2017)
Prizes and Awards
1972 Israel Defence Award, for developing an airborne weapon delivery system for F-4E.
1976 Israel Air Force Award, for developing a C4 system.
1984 IDF Director of military Intelligence Prize for Creative Thinking.
1990 Itzhak-Sade Award for Military Literature, for the book Dialogues on Science and Military Intelligence.
2001 Israel Defence Award (Second time), for a project introducing a new concept of future warfare.
2002 Singapore Defence Technology Distinguished Award for his “outstanding contribution to bilateral defence relations between Israel and Singapore”.
2008 Lions “Man of Excellence”, for his contribution to Israel Security.
In the last five years, Reinforcement Learning (RL) had some amazing successes in board games such as Go,
and in computer games such as Atari and Starcraft. However, we currently do not see many real world applications for RL.
We consider the practical potential of deep RL and the issues that have to be addressed in order to make deep RL
a common methodology. In this talk I will focus on learning on the edge, and point to some
of the issues that need to be resolved, such as fast convergence, confidence in the models, and robustness to changing environments
and the behaviour of other agents. I will explain what is known in terms of convergence speed, and what is needed in terms
of abstraction and pre-training.
Shie Mannor has been with the Faculty of Electrical Engineering at the Technion since 2008 where he is a professor, the co-director of the Technion Machine Learning and Intelligent Systems Center, and the Edwards Chair in Engineering. Shie is also a distinguished scientist at Nvidia Research. Shie has published over 250 papers in leading venues and holds 10 patents. His papers were cited over 17,000 times and his h-index is 64. Shie’s research interests include machine learning and data science with an emphasis on reinforcement learning, planning and control, and analysis and control of large-scale systems. Shie has been active in the high-tech industry in Israel, Canada and the US where he has consulted to dozens of companies over the years and has co-founded four companies.
With the scale of data and computation power, machine learning algorithms are able to perform cognitive-like tasks such as visual question answering or visual navigation. In this talk we present Factor Graph Attention models that learn high-order correlations between various data modalities. These models can be seamlessly applied to any data utilities and differentiates useful signals from distracting ones. These models won the Visual Dialog Challenge 2020 and currently outperform the state-of-the-art in target driven visual navigation on the AI2-THOR simulator.
Tamir Hazan received his PhD from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and he is currently an assistant professor at the Technion. Tamir Hazan’s research describes efficient methods for reasoning about structured models and recently on structured attention models in deep learning. His work on random perturbations enables to propagate gradients through discrete structured predictions in deep nets and a book on these contributions was published by MIT Press on 2016, and was acknowledged by a best paper shortlist at ICML 2012 and in the machine learning best papers track at AAAI 2012. Tamir Hazan’s research also includes the primal-dual norm-product belief propagation algorithm which received a best paper award at UAI 2008.
Why do Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) perform so much better than Fully Connected Networks (FCNs) in some domains? One common explanation is sample complexity --- CNNs use less parameters, hence they are potentially more sample efficient. However, this explanation does not hold water, as over-parameterized neural networks often outperform economic models. This talk will offer another explanation --- CNNs are more friendly to Gradient-based training. Following this, we discuss a general approach for analyzing the interplay between training complexity, network architecture, and data-distribution for Gradient-based learning.
I'm a PhD Student at the School of Computer Science and Engineering in the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, advised by Shai Shalev-Shwartz. I also lead a research team in Mobileye. I completed my B.Sc in Computer Science and Mathematics at the Hebrew University. My research focus is Learning Theory and Theoretical Foundations of Deep Learning. I'm mainly interested in computational aspects of learning and optimization.
For the last 10 years, the 200 Data Scientists and Machine Learning Engineers from Intel’s Artificial Intelligence Group have created hundreds of AI solutions to transform Intel’s critical work: Including product development and features, manufacturing, validation, supply chain, and sales.
In this talk, Itay Yogev, Intel IT Artificial Intelligence Group General Manager, will describe the journey and the key learnings of what it takes to create a breakthrough AI technology that brings high business impact.
Itay is Intel’s IT General Manager for Artificial Intelligence . The AI group is chartered to transform Intel’s critical work (‘AI Inside’) and has yielded a business value that exceeded $1B in 2020. Itay is the co-founder of this activity at Intel (2009) and is leading it since then. The AI group has over 200 AI experts world wide and is a hub of innovation of Algorithms, ML engineering, Product AI methodologies and the required change at a large corporate scale. Itay is focusing on accelerating the AI change to create unprecedent speed and quality of Intel’s competitive advantage activites.
In this talk I will discuss the challenges of practicing AI in a large defense company. I will discuss different methods of setting up a team of AI experts that specialize in a large number of different application areas. I will give several examples of how we use deep learning to enhance our defense applications, particularly in the fields of RF and communication signals.
I will conclude by discussing the challenges of applying AI to critical defense applications, and how to overcome them.
Ziv Freund joined Elbit Systems – EW & SIGINT – Elisra in 2003 as an algorithm engineer. Until 2017 he led the computer vision research group . Since 2017 he is the head of AI R&D group in Elisra. Ziv holds a BSC and MSC in Electrical Engineering and an MBA, all from Tel Aviv University.
Many real-world applications suffer from lack of ground-truth. we propose innovative end to end segmentation network, dealing with zero-shot or few-shot segmentation. We will show an innovative flow and visual intuition that makes triplet-loss post processing redundant and enables end-to-end networks for many applications. In addition, our network has the advantage of dealing with noisy labeling, by letting the network optimize accuracy without compromising consistency.
Tomer is a Computer vision and Deep learning expert at Applied-Materials, Pushing the limit of industry scale application on nano-scale images. Applied Materials is a leader in the Semiconductor industry that raised many of the Computer-Vision experts in the Israel for the last 30 years. Prior to Applies Tomer gained his experience developing industrial solutions for the consumer market, aerospace industry, automotive, Medical and Semiconductors. Specializing in object detection & segmentation, motion & change detection. Tomer holds a M.Sc. in Computer vision from the Weizmann institute
