Full Breakdown
Israel Launchs Project Nexus and AI Requests for Information to Build National Quantum and Physical-AI Infrastructure
8/6/2026, 8:30:29 PM
Core Event: Government Unveils Project Nexus Tender and AI RFIs
Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office National AI Directorate and the Finance Ministry’s Accountant General’s Department announced the launch of Project Nexus, a national tender to create a domestically produced quantum-computing platform. The same statement released two Requests for Information (RFIs): one for a Physical AI testing ground and another for the development of foundational AI models. All initiatives are authorized under Government Decision 4255, the framework for Israel’s national artificial-intelligence strategy.
Background & Context
Quantum computing has been a policy priority since 2018, with successive programs aimed at placing Israel among the world’s five leading nations in the field. In 2024 the country revealed its first domestically built quantum computer using advanced superconducting technology. More recently, Israeli startup Qedma partnered with IBM to run a 72-qubit superconducting chip that outperformed the world’s most powerful supercomputer in a benchmark test.
Physical AI—AI systems that act in the real world through drones, robots, sensors and industrial equipment—has also gained prominence. The government cites autonomous drones and AI-driven energy-management platforms as early examples.
Key Figures
- Brig.-Gen. (Res.) Erez Eskel – Director, National AI Directorate.
- Evyatar Peretz – Senior Finance Ministry Deputy Accountant General for Innovation and Technology; Chairman of the Special Tenders Committee.
- Dr. Smadar Itzkovich – Founder and CEO, AI & Quantum Sovereignty Lab (AIQ-Lab).
- Arik Feingold – Chairman and President, Commit.
Data & Statistics
- The IBM-Qedma experiment employed a 72-qubit superconducting quantum chip.
- Israel’s first home-grown quantum computer was demonstrated in 2024 (technology details not disclosed).
- No funding amounts, procurement timelines, or participating companies were revealed for Project Nexus or the RFIs.
Why It Matters / Impact
Project Nexus is presented as a “national ‘Blue and White’” quantum platform intended to support multiple quantum-technology approaches, thereby reducing reliance on foreign hardware. The Physical AI testing ground is described as a national environment capable of simulating complex scenarios across highways, hospitals, factories, and farms, aiming to accelerate robotics, edge computing and sensor development.
Official Statements & Responses
- Evyatar Peretz highlighted the close collaboration between the Accountant General’s Department and the National AI Directorate as essential for translating decisions into contractual mechanisms that will build the required infrastructure.
- Dr. Smadar Itzkovich called the tender “a smart and bold move” that places Israel “alongside Japan and the UK.”
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
The government announcement did not disclose technical specifications, funding levels, timelines, or the identities of firms that may bid on Project Nexus or the RFIs. Consequently, analysts lack concrete data to assess the scale or schedule of the initiatives.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The steps we are leading today, from quantum computing to Physical AI and foundational models, provide the industry and the economy with the necessary foundation to lower barriers, ensure technological sovereignty, and make global breakthroughs,” — Technology Evyatar Peretz
