Oren Dobronsky Declines Likud Knesset Spot to Focus on AI Ministry
Oren Dobronsky, star of "The Sharks," declined a top-ten spot on the Likud list for the upcoming Knesset elections. He agreed with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to serve only as a professional Minister for AI Affairs.
Businessman Oren Dobronsky, widely known from the television show "The Sharks" (the Israeli adaptation of Shark Tank), will not run for the Knesset on the Likud list. This decision comes despite his revelation that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approached him several months ago, requesting that he join the party ahead of the upcoming elections.
In a social media post, Dobronsky revealed that the negotiations with Netanyahu were highly advanced. The offer included not only a high-ranking spot on the Likud list but also a senior government appointment in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI). According to Dobronsky, he was slated to be placed in one of the top spots on the Likud list, but he ultimately decided to forego entering the political system as a Member of Knesset (MK).
"Friends, the Prime Minister asked me months ago to join the Likud team in the upcoming elections, and so it shall be," Dobronsky wrote.
He further explained that Netanyahu offered him the opportunity to lead the government's AI initiatives:
"The Prime Minister offered me the position of Minister for AI Affairs and a guaranteed spot in the top ten of the list. Despite this, I preferred to serve only as a professional minister, where I can contribute the most from my experience, rather than being on the list itself as a Member of Knesset, and that is what we agreed upon."
The practical implication of this decision is that Dobronsky will not appear on the Likud ballot and will not run for a seat in the Knesset. However, his statement indicates that he still intends to participate in public service and collaborate with Netanyahu in a professional capacity within the AI sector.
"I intend to work hand in hand with Prime Minister Netanyahu, as part of the Likud team, to ensure that the State of Israel becomes an AI superpower," Dobronsky added.
