China is beating the US in AI and Europe's AI experts are challenging both US and China, but a new contender for AI leadership is rapidly emerging. The startup nation of Israel is targeting today's hottest tech sector by deploying its expertise in cutting-edge data analysis, software and hardware engineering talent, and proven entrepreneurial skills. According to analyst Daniel Singer, Israeli AI startups (using technologies such as machine learning, deep learning, computer vision, natural language processing, robotics, and speech recognition) have raised close to $2 billion in 2017, an increase of 70% over 2016, and have already raised $1.5 billion this year. An average of 140 startups have been created annually over the last 5 years and there are now over 950 active Israeli startups utilizing or developing AI technologies. It's good to be a member of this exclusive club.