US, Israel Reportedly Discuss Secure AI Base in the Negev to Counter China

US and Israel Reportedly Weigh Secure AI Base in the Negev

The United States and Israel are reportedly in talks over a secure artificial intelligence base in the Negev, part of a wider American effort to compete with China and protect advanced technology from espionage.

The initiative, known in Israel as “Project Spire,” was described in an opinion piece by Hudson Institute researchers Michael Doran and Zineb Riboua published in The Wall Street Journal.

According to the report, the project would create a protected compound combining the security standards of a sensitive American military site with the research and development culture of a major tech hub.

Three Possible Sites in the Western Negev

The United States is reportedly reviewing three locations proposed by Israel in the western Negev.

Israel would be expected to lease the selected area to the United States over the long term.

The planned compound could include AI research facilities, large-scale server farms, power infrastructure, chip design work, and model-development systems inside a tightly secured environment.

Protecting AI From China

The project is being presented as part of a broader strategy to build “secure AI bases” in trusted allied countries.

The goal would be to keep sensitive AI development inside protected zones, using security rules similar to those used for defense programs.

Supporters of the idea argue that this would reduce the risk of advanced AI knowledge leaking to China or being exposed through vulnerable supply chains.

Possible Chip Manufacturing Component

The report also says officials are examining whether advanced chip manufacturing could be added to the site.

That would fit into a wider American push to reduce dependence on fragile foreign supply chains, including chip production concentrated in Taiwan.

The compound would not only support AI software work, but could also help secure the hardware needed to train and run advanced models.

Part of the “Pax Silica” Strategy

The authors linked Project Spire to “Pax Silica,” a strategic framework announced by the Trump administration to strengthen cooperation among countries seen as reliable partners in advanced technology and supply chains.

According to the report, U.S. Undersecretary of State Jacob Helberg and Erez Eskel, head of Israel’s National AI Directorate, signed a joint declaration in Jerusalem in January 2026 that helped lay the groundwork for the project.

Why Israel Is a Natural Fit

Israel is being viewed as a strong candidate because of its advanced technology sector, chip industry, military innovation, cyber expertise, and operational experience with AI-linked defense systems.

Major American companies, including NVIDIA, Intel, Google, and Microsoft, already operate development centers in Israel.

Under the reported framework, technologies developed through Project Spire would remain American-owned, but could later be transferred for larger-scale production or expansion inside the United States.

A Possible Model for Other Allies

If the Negev project moves forward, it could become a model for similar secure AI facilities in other allied countries, including the United Kingdom, Japan, and India.

For Washington, the plan would add a protected technology foothold in the Middle East at a time of rising competition with China.

For Israel, it could bring major investment, high-tech jobs, and a deeper strategic role in the future of American AI and defense technology.

The proposal has not yet been finalized, but the direction is clear: the U.S.-Israel alliance is moving beyond traditional defense cooperation and into the next major arena of global power — artificial intelligence.