AI model training, and privacy-enhancing technologies RFI

Open Date:

03/06/2025

Deadline for Submission:

22/07/2025

Time zone:

Israel
AI-RFI

Summary:

Artificial Intelligence is evolving rapidly and serves as a key driver of economic growth globally and in Israel. Given that AI systems rely heavily on processing large volumes of data, often including personal or sensitive data – issues such as model training, data distribution, privacy preservation, and anonymization present significant challenges for those attempting to develop and implement AI solutions. To maintain Israel’s competitive edge in this domain, it is essential to gain a comprehensive understanding of the industry’s needs and to develop the necessary tools and infrastructure to support them.

Program Description

The Israel Innovation Authority invites the public to submit insights and information regarding existing gaps or needs for software infrastructure that supports Artificial Intelligence R&D. Verticles of specific interest include, but are not limited to, distributed processing, anonymization, training process management, and privacy-enhancing technologies.

The purpose of the inquiry is to map existing gaps in software infrastructure components that hinder research and development initiatives in the academic and private sectors in Israel. Identified gaps will be considered as part of an ongoing effort to remove barriers and resolve market failures within the framework of the Authority’s activities, aimed at advancing the Israeli industry and academia on both economic and technological levels.

Objectives Include: 

  1. Map the industry’s needs in the specified domains.
  2. Identify technological and infrastructural barriers.
  3. Understand the gap between current needs and existing global solutions. Identify global needs and challenges, as well as those that are unique to the Israeli R&D ecosystem. if such exists
  4. Explore potential approaches to address these gaps (e.g. open-source infrastructures collaborative initiatives, centers of excellence).

Criteria

The Innovation Authority is seeking detailed input on the following topics:

  • Gaps and Needs for Model Training
    1. Tools and methodologies for model training.
    2. Challenges in acquiring and preparing training data.
    3. Data collection, refinement, and preprocessing
    4. Model selection and validation practices
    5. Storage solutions for models and datasets.
    6. Support for distributed computing environments.
    7. Data security and privacy considerations.
    8. Enhancing model accuracy while ensuring explainability (XAI).
    9. Addressing bias and ensuring fairness in models.
  • Anonymization and Privacy-Enhancing Technologies
    1. Tools needed to meet regulatory and technological privacy requirements throughout the AI system lifecycle—from training to deployment and continuous improvement—aligned with international standards.
    2. Sector-specific privacy and regulatory needs, including data transfer and AI system sharing.
    3. Gaps and challenges in current privacy-enhancing technologies within AI contexts.
  • Training Process Management
    1. Requirements for tools to manage and control training processes.
    2. Challenges in monitoring and managing distributed training.
    3. Needs for automation and optimization tools.
    4. Security, privacy, abuse prevention, and cybersecurity in training workflows.
  • Economic and Operational Aspects
    1. Cost and resource requirements.
    2. Market entry barriers and competitive challenges.
    3. Impacts on business models.
    4. Funding and investment needs.
    5. Assessment of economic potential and opportunities.

Application Process

  • Interested parties are invited to submit their responses via email to: [email protected] no later than July 22, 2025.
  • Submissions should clearly state the identity and affiliation of the respondent (e.g., high-tech company, startup, entrepreneur, investor, service provider, academic institution, etc.).
  • Please note: The full version of this RFI is available on the Innovation Authority’s Hebrew website. The Hebrew version shall prevail in case of discrepancies.

For additional information, please contact:

Name: Yael Hay-Knobel
Position: Head of R&D Infrastructure Department
Organization: Israel Innovation Authority