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OpenAI expands to Israel: first commercial hires and tech outreach

The world’s leading AI developer is planting its flag in one of the planet’s most talent-dense innovation hubs, and it’s bypassing R&D to go straight for the deal flow

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2 min read

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Google NewsFollow usFollow<br>CEO of OpenAI Sam Altman talks to CEO of Google DeepMind Demis Hassabis, not seen, on the sidelines of the G7 summit, Wednesday, June 17, 2026AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson,File

OpenAI is expanding its global reach with the creation of its first local commercial team in Israel.<br>Rather than establishing a traditional research and development center, a strategy long employed in Israel by multinational tech giants such as Microsoft, Google, Nvidia, and Apple, OpenAI is taking a purely commercial approach. The company is focusing its initial efforts on business development, client management, and sales infrastructure tailored to the Israeli market.<br>To lead this expansion, OpenAI has recruited a former Amazon Web Services executive who previously managed AWS’s startup operations in Israel.

Israeli startup Barvox uses AI to help semi-verbal people Operating from OpenAI’s regional office in London with a specific focus on the Israeli market, the strategic hire is tasked with deepening ties across the country’s high-tech sector. OpenAI is actively hiring on-the-ground roles, including dedicated account directors, to manage client relationships directly out of Tel Aviv.

While Israel is not traditionally known for training massive foundation models from scratch, the country boasts an exceptionally high density of generative AI adoption and technical talent. Thousands of local early-stage startups build application-layer products on top of existing artificial intelligence architectures, making the ecosystem a lucrative target for model providers.<br>Suggested articles<br>Y2K bug: The global breakdown that never happened | i24NEWS<br>Artificial intelligence in the service of humanitarian aid | i24NEWS<br>Israeli startup uses AI to give a voice to people with speech difficulties | Lynn Plagmeijer

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