Big Tech and the AI-Driven Conflict: Unmasking the Links in the Gaza Crisis

Recent investigations have shed new light on the deepening integration of artificial intelligence and cloud computing in modern warfare, specifically highlighting the involvement of major U.S. technology companies in Israel’s military operations in Gaza. Multiple journalistic probes, including a detailed analysis by The Associated Press, have revealed how exclusively commercial AI models are being harnessed in combat, marking what experts describe as an unprecedented use of such technology in warfare.

Unprecedented Use of AI in Warfare

Following the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas, Israeli forces reportedly escalated their acquisition and deployment of AI-driven tools from companies such as Microsoft and OpenAI. Heidy Khlaaf, chief artificial intelligence scientist at the AI Now Institute and a former senior safety engineer at OpenAI, confirmed to the AP that this marked the first known use of commercial AI models in armed conflict. She noted that the implications for future conflicts and ethical warfare are enormous.

Key findings include:

• Surge in AI Adoption: In the wake of the deadly attack that resulted in around 1,200 fatalities and over 250 hostages, Israel rapidly expanded its use of AI to identify and neutralize targets.
• Enhanced Targeting Capabilities: This digital transformation has enabled the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) to dramatically increase the speed and efficiency with which they select airstrike targets using platforms like Habsora.
• Extensive Human Casualties: Since the commencement of hostilities, more than 50,000 have died across Gaza and Lebanon, with nearly 70% of buildings in Gaza reported as destroyed.

The Role of U.S. Tech Giants

Investigative reports indicate that Israel procures cutting-edge AI technology and cloud services from companies such as OpenAI and Microsoft’s Azure platform. Although OpenAI maintains that it does not have a formal partnership with the IDF, it quietly altered its usage policies in early 2024 by removing restrictions that banned military applications of its technology.

Further complicating the matter, other influential tech corporations including Google and Amazon are supplying cloud computing and AI services through initiatives like Project Nimbus—a $1.2 billion contract initiated in 2021. Additionally, infrastructure support is provided by companies like Cisco, Dell, and Red Hat (an independent IBM subsidiary), and strategic partnerships extend to Microsoft partner Palantir Technologies.

Google has stated its commitment to developing AI that "protects people, promotes global growth, and supports national security". However, it has also recently modified its Responsible AI principles by removing explicit commitments against developing technologies that could facilitate weapons production or mass surveillance.

Ethical and Global Implications

The ethical dimensions of this technological involvement are vast. The expanding use of AI in hostile environments has transformed the very tactics of warfare, as evidenced by the speed at which AI systems like Habsora can generate targets—reportedly producing as many as 100 targets in a single day compared to just 50 targets per year prior.

Senior IDF officials have occasionally sanctioned strikes with high civilian casualties, including airstrikes where multiple 2,000-pound bombs were deployed over densely populated areas. For example, a controversial airstrike on the Jabalia refugee camp resulted in over 126 deaths, including 68 children, while also causing extensive collateral damage.

In parallel, mass surveillance has become a central element of this conflict. Independent journalist Antony Loewenstein has emphasized that tech companies are amassing vast amounts of data on every aspect of Palestinian life—ranging from their movements to personal online expressions. Loewenstein warns that this accumulation of information creates a dangerous template that could be replicated by other regimes around the world, potentially endangering critics and dissidents globally.

A Wider Network of Tech-Enabled Warfare

The integration of commercial AI tools into military operations represents a stark shift. Beyond the immediate conflict, there are broader concerns about the alliance between big tech, national security, and authoritarian practices. Recent controversies have also emerged surrounding internal protests and corporate responses; for instance, Google’s dismissal of employees involved in demonstrations against the company’s defense contracts reflect the growing internal and external disputes about ethical tech use in warfare.

The ramifications of these developments reach far beyond the current conflict. As global political landscapes shift—with far-right influences growing in varied democratic and authoritarian contexts—the Israeli model of using AI in military operations is increasingly viewed as lucrative and replicable by other states.

This evolving scenario underscores a critical moment for technological ethics and military strategy in the 21st century, compelling a reexamination of the responsibilities and policies of global tech giants.