“It will happen in 5 years”: Bill Ackman’s bet amazed those present

At the beginning of the conversation, Ekman was asked why he came to Israel, and he replied that he came for two reasons: to participate in the ARC Summit, and so that his Israeli wife could vote in the elections. “I am married to an amazing Israeli woman who believes in the importance of democracy and voting, so we are here to vote,” he said.

During the conversation, Ekman referred to the future of the Israeli economy, the impact of artificial intelligence on the healthcare system and the new venture he is establishing in the field of neuroscience, following his daughter’s severe injury.

Israel, artificial intelligence and the next trillion dollar company

Referring to Israel and its economic potential in the age of artificial intelligence, Ekman said: “Israel has the highest ratio in the world of IQ and IP in relation to the size of the population. This is the most relevant ratio in the world driven by AI.”

According to him, unlike in the past, when Israeli entrepreneurs tended to sell companies at an early stage, today they are already striving to build larger companies. “A company with a market value of a trillion dollars will grow from Israel. I would be surprised if it doesn’t happen within five years, and certainly within ten.”

Referring to Israel and the regional situation, Ekman said that after the October 7 attack, he and his wife invested 5% in the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, among other things, out of a desire to send a message of confidence in the Israeli economy. Ekman added that in his estimation, “the prospects for peace have improved dramatically and the risk has decreased significantly”, and stated that he foresees the continued expansion of the Abraham Accords, regardless of the identity of who will lead Israel.

Ekman also referred to the impact of artificial intelligence on the world of medicine and said that consumers and patients will be among the main beneficiaries of the change. According to him, “I think that in the short term the biggest beneficiary will be the consumer. AI will make healthcare and education services extraordinarily accessible.”

“Doctor Claude”: the artificial intelligence in the rehabilitation process of his daughter

Ekman said that as part of the treatment of his daughter Lucy, who suffered a severe cerebral hemorrhage, family members and the medical staff regularly consult with Claude, whom he calls “Doctor Claude”.

According to him, “I think it would become irresponsible on the part of a patient or doctor not to consult a leading model regarding a proposed treatment or drug interactions. It is an extraordinarily powerful tool.”

During the conversation, Ekman also talked about the new institute he is establishing in the field of neuroscience and rehabilitation, following his daughter’s recovery process. According to him, the aim of the institute is to significantly reduce the time period between scientific discovery and actual treatment of patients.

“In the field of rehabilitation, the time between the laboratory and the patient’s bed is sometimes about 17 years. It’s crazy. By the time the technology reaches the patient, it’s already 17 years old,” he said.

Referring to the technological future, Ekman said that he is optimistic: “Everyone will have superintelligence in their pocket, in fact for free. I think this will allow for an enormous era of prosperity.”

According to him, the developments in artificial intelligence, brain-computer interfaces and medical technologies are expected to lead to significant breakthroughs. “We are going to learn a great deal about how the brain works, and we will make enormous human progress.”

This is the fifth year of the ARC Summit, led by ARC, the innovation arm of Sheba Medical Center. The summit is taking place this week in Sheba and Tel Aviv and brings together health system managers, technology companies, entrepreneurs and investors from around the world.