Middle East Centre Big Tech and the Automation of Genocide in Gaza
Sep 30, 2025
Dr. Samer Abdelnour, a senior lecturer at the University of Edinburgh Business School and co-founder of the Palestinian policy network Shadaka, dives deep into the chilling intersection of Big Tech and warfare. He unveils how companies like Google and Amazon contribute to Israel's surveillance state through projects like Nimbus, which utilize AI for automated targeting. Abdelnour discusses the alarming implications of data collection on Palestinians, arguing that these technologies effectively turn data into deadly weapons, thus normalizing violence and mass killings in Gaza.
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Big Tech Powers Military Targeting
- Big tech firms supplied AI and cloud services that enabled Israeli military data processing and targeting capabilities.
- Project Nimbus linked surveillance data with AI to produce automated targeting at scale.
Surveillance Infrastructure Feeds Targeting Data
- Occupation-era surveillance (biometrics, facial recognition, mobile triangulation) generated massive datasets used for targeting.
- Apps like 'wolf' and databases like Wolfpack collect imagery and social media for real-time soldier use.
Contract Limits Vendor Oversight
- Nimbus gave Israel direct cloud landing zones and AI tools while contractually limiting vendor oversight.
- Google and Amazon were barred from meaningful control or disclosure even amid rights concerns.
