Opinion
IDF tech units are still essential to Israel's high-tech future—precisely because they don’t rush to adopt AI
“While the rest of the world is becoming accustomed to “vibe coding” with GitHub Copilot, ChatGPT, and Replit, soldiers in Unit 8200 still write, test, and debug clean code—without shortcuts,” writes lool ventures General Partner Yaniv Golan.
For two decades, Unit 8200 and other elite technological units in the IDF have served as one of the key foundations feeding Israel’s high-tech ecosystem with exceptional talent. These units act as a kind of “super-accelerator,” producing thousands of outstanding alumni—many of whom go on to become prominent entrepreneurs, launch startups, execute successful exits, and bring groundbreaking technologies to the civilian market. In the past, this phenomenon was largely attributed to deep expertise in fields like cybersecurity and algorithms, combined with early exposure to real-world challenges.
But today, in an era where artificial intelligence has become a central element in every phase of the development process, the context—and the reason why units like 8200 remain critical—has shifted.
Their ongoing relevance is not only due to technological excellence but, paradoxically, because of a specific operational limitation: soldiers are forbidden from using external AI tools to write code.
While the rest of the world is becoming accustomed to “vibe coding” with GitHub Copilot, ChatGPT, and Replit, soldiers in Unit 8200 still write, test, and debug clean code—without shortcuts.
In the civilian world, the trend is clear: the focus is shifting from building proper system architecture to crafting the perfect prompt. Instead of thoroughly understanding how code and software operate, developers often rely on AI-fed public code repositories for solutions. Speed, in a sense, is improving, but at the cost of deep understanding.
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In units like 8200, the picture is entirely different. The IDF’s strict information security policies require a high level of professional rigor—developers must write code from scratch, perform manual optimizations, solve problems under constraints, and adhere to strict peer review standards. Developers in these units don’t just write code—they understand deeply how systems are built, why each component functions the way it does, and how to detect issues before they affect performance. This isn’t just methodology; it’s hands-on training that demands true mastery of the technology.
If the trend of AI dependence continues, it’s likely that within just a few years, alumni of the IDF’s tech units will be among a relatively small group of developers who still think in code, not just prompt it.
When they eventually transition to civilian industry and begin using these AI tools themselves, they’ll do so with a critical eye, capable of spotting logical flaws and recognizing when generic code simply doesn’t fit. These are the people who will lead the proper integration of deep technological knowledge with modern AI-driven efficiency.
For us as investors, these qualities are not about nostalgia—they represent a real competitive advantage. Founders emerging from these units excel because they deeply understand the limitations of technology, can identify gaps that no algorithm can fill, and aren’t afraid to roll up their sleeves and deal with complex, real code. In an era where productivity is often measured in lines of code per minute—rather than long-term quality—those with a strong engineering foundation are increasingly valuable.
Of course, not every 8200 graduate becomes a successful entrepreneur, and not every successful entrepreneur served in a tech unit. But when evaluating deep tech ventures, the ability to think systemically, critique AI tools, and maintain code quality is becoming a rare and valuable commodity.
Even today, amid complex public discourse around these units—especially since the outbreak of the war—it’s important to recognize their central role. They remain “islands of conservative excellence” in a fast-moving and aggressive ecosystem. They show us that not every trend needs to be adopted immediately—and sometimes, it’s the conservative approach that delivers the real edge.
If Israeli high-tech wants to maintain its competitive advantage in an era of technological hype and smart models, it must continue to nurture those who still know how to build foundations. The IDF’s tech units provide exactly that kind of ground.
Yaniv Golan is Co-founder and Managing Partner at lool Ventures, a venture capital firm investing in Israeli startups.
