Israeli military uses AI to detect distress and prevent suicides among soldiers

The IDF Surgeon General and Chief Medical Officer Brig. Gen. (Dr.) Zivan Aviad-Beer on Monday revealed that the Israeli military is using artificial intelligence (AI) tools to help soldiers identify post-traumatic distress and prevent suicides following two years of intense battles in Gaza and on other fronts. 

Speaking at the Yedioth Ahronoth Health Conference, IDF’s medical chief said the military’s AI system “trains soldiers to identify warning signs of distress” and stressed that the system is designed to “to speak their language.”

“In the past, we mostly spoke about mental health and tried to raise awareness,” Aviad-Beer recalled. “Now we’re implementing a tool that actively teaches soldiers how to recognize distress in their friends. It’s about using technology to connect and prevent crises before they happen,” he explained.

The Israeli news outlet Walla reported in September that over 1,000 IDF soldiers were discharged from military service due to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) since the Hamas October attack in 2023. Speaking on condition of anonymity, a reservist soldiers revealed that PTSD is connected to shame among many soldiers. 

“One of the most difficult issues around PTSD is shame,” he said. “Fighters and commanders experience symptoms to varying degrees, but they’re afraid to seek help; afraid of documentation that could hurt them later."

While admitting existing challenges, IDF’s medical chief revealed that the IDF’s Medical Corps has reduced battlefield fatalities by over 50% compared to the Second Lebanon War against Hezbollah in 2006.

“There’s an international measure called CFR – case fatality rate,” Aviad-Beer said. “In 2006, it was 14.8%. In the current war, it dropped to 6.9%. We’re saving twice as many wounded soldiers as in previous conflicts – even those severely injured."

The IDF’s medical chief credits a culture of innovation and learning for the improvements in the military. 

“We revised treatment protocols, introduced blood transfusions directly in the field, and improved evacuation times. Our medics and doctors reach the wounded within minutes. These are measurable, life-saving changes,” Aviad-Beer explained. Placing Israel’s hard-won battle experience, the medical chief stressed that the Jewish state currently offers “some of the best battlefield medical care in the world.” 

“If, God forbid, their son or daughter is injured, they will receive the fastest and best care possible, with the most advanced technology available,” he stated.

Addressing the issue of PTSD, he stressed that the military treats the affected soldiers before they return to their respective units. 

“Today, we treat them before returning them to their units. They undergo daily therapy – from clinical treatment to innovative rehabilitation programs involving the sea, nature, and agriculture. We do this professionally and responsibly,” he said. 

“Saving someone’s mental health,” Aviad-Beer assessed, “is just as important – and often more complex – than treating a physical wound. With the right mix of compassion, professionalism, and technology, we can make a real difference."

Yet many challenges remain after the longest war in modern Israeli history. In September, the Israeli Ministry of Defense’s Rehabilitation Division stated that it had treated over 20,000 wounded soldiers since the Oct. 7, 2023, attack. It also noted that mental health cases were on the rise. The ministry’s division revealed that 56% of the cases dealt with various psychological trauma and stress responses.