Prime Minister Benjmain Netanyahu held a meeting in New York on Sunday with a group of American investors and technology company managers to discuss the future of artificial intelligence and its impact on Israel’s economy and security. The meeting was described by sources who were present as informal but businesslike, Bloomberg reports.
Among the participants were Jacob Helberg, a former adviser to data company Palantir, who has been nominated to serve as Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment in the Trump administration. Helberg is a prominent supporter of Israel. He currently awaits confirmation of his appointment by the US Senate. Peter Thiel, one of the founders of Palantir and currently chairperson of the company, is also close to Netanyahu.
Other participants in the meeting were Eric Glyman, CEO of fintech company Ramp; entrepreneurs Eric Wu and Keith Rabois, founders of online real estate company OpenDoor; Guillermo Rauch, CEO of cloud computing company Vercel; and Josh Wolfe, co-founder of venture capital firm Lux Capital.
According to sources cited by Bloomberg, the discussion at the meeting focused on how to harness the rapid development of AI to the strengthening of the Israeli economy and the maintenance of Israel’s technological advantage in defense. The participants are reported to have described the atmosphere at the meeting as “free and open”. Netanyahu came to it with only two aides. According to the sources, the meeting was part of an initiative to create a direct channel of communication between policy makers in Israel and investors and technological experts in the US, and to form a better understanding of global investment and innovation trends.
The political connection adds another dimension to the importance of the meeting. Some of those present are among the close circle of US President Donald Trump, and have, or will have, senior positions in his administration. Rabois, for example, belongs to a group of investors and entrepreneurs known as the PayPal Mafia, a group of PayPal founders and former employees that is considered to have substantial influence on the administration’s decision making in the areas of technology and the economy.
Published by Globes, Israel business news – en.globes.co.il – on September 30, 2025.
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