Speaking at an event, Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacır said global artificial intelligence investments reaching $1.5 trillion last year offered an indication of the role artificial intelligence would play in the global economy in the coming period.
Kacır noted that companies worldwide were integrating artificial intelligence technologies into every link of their value chains. He said leading countries in artificial intelligence were pursuing more protectionist, selective and interest-driven policies to preserve their technological advantages.
Kacır said countries unable to manage their own data, develop artificial intelligence models or build critical digital infrastructure would be condemned to become digital pariahs in the future. He added that Türkiye was working to make artificial intelligence a driving force of its development based on the principles of reliability, transparency, accountability, human-centeredness and ethical responsibility.
Kacır said they had established the TÜBİTAK Artificial Intelligence Institute and were bringing together businesses that need artificial intelligence solutions, technology providers and research institutions around common goals through the Artificial Intelligence Ecosystem Calls. He shared the following information: “In the first four calls of the program, which facilitates the conversion of expertise within our universities and companies into economic value, we supported 62
collaborative projects. I invite companies planning to integrate artificial intelligence systems into their business processes to apply for the program’s fifth call.”
Through the call, which will remain open until September 14, companies that need artificial intelligence solutions in smart manufacturing systems, smart agriculture, food and livestock, financial technologies, climate change and sustainability, and smart education technologies will be able to make effective use of Türkiye’s research and innovation infrastructure.
Another step we have taken to develop domestic and original solutions for the concrete artificial intelligence needs of our institutions is the Sectoral Adaptation Call for a Turkish Large Language Foundation Model, launched under our Pre-Competitive Cooperation Program. Through the call, we are supporting 10 strategic projects that will adapt Turkish large language models to the specific needs of our sectors.
Artificial intelligence action plan
Kacır said converting the potential offered by artificial intelligence into economic and social value was possible with high-performance computing infrastructure capable of processing high-quality data through advanced algorithms.
He said they had accelerated artificial intelligence and data center investments, expanded computing capacity and strengthened the digital infrastructure needed by startups through the HIT-30 Program. Kacır added that qualified human resources were essential to turning artificial intelligence into a genuine development lever.
Kacır said they were equipping young people with the knowledge, skills and competencies required by the artificial intelligence era through pioneering initiatives such as TEKNOFEST, the Sector on Campus Program, Ekol 42 Software Schools, and the Artificial Intelligence and Technology Academy.
Recalling that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had presented the Türkiye Artificial Intelligence Action Plan to the public last month, setting out Türkiye’s artificial intelligence roadmap for 2026-2030, Kacır continued: “In line with our action plan, we will provide training to 5 million citizens over two years through Artificial Intelligence Literacy Workshops that we will establish in all 81 provinces in the coming period.
“We will train 10,000 advanced artificial intelligence experts and 100,000 artificial intelligence application professionals. By making at least 2,000 public data sets in strategic areas ranging from health and agriculture to defense and e-commerce accessible through the National Data Library, we will enable our researchers, entrepreneurs and companies to develop innovative solutions.
“We will expand the computing capacity needed by artificial intelligence and increase the total installed capacity of our data centers to at least 1 gigawatt by 2030, taking energy efficiency and international standards into account. By allocating at least 2 percent of public investment programs to artificial intelligence projects, we will make technological transformation an integral part of our public policies.”
“We will advance Türkiye’s technological capacity”
Kacır said public institutions would provide a strong reference for companies to develop, validate and take their products to global markets by opening initial fields of use for successful domestic artificial intelligence solutions.
He said Artificial Intelligence Growth Zones with ready energy and digital infrastructure would provide SMEs and researchers with an environment where they could quickly turn their ideas into prototypes. Kacır said: “By mobilizing at least $10 billion in resources under the leadership of the private sector for data centers, cloud computing and artificial intelligence infrastructure, we will advance Türkiye’s technological capacity.
“We will establish regulatory sandboxes in at least five priority sectors so that innovative solutions can be safely developed and tested, and will offer our entrepreneurs a predictable, agile and innovation-supportive environment. It is of great importance for our technological independence that artificial intelligence models reflect the memory, values and linguistic richness of our society.
“Accordingly, we will soon make our BİLGE language model available to developers.”
Kacır said they would direct $150 million in public funds to artificial intelligence-focused venture capital funds to improve artificial intelligence startups’ access to capital. He added: “We have launched the KOSGEB Artificial Intelligence Loan Program to ensure equal access to technology for our SMEs, ease the financing burden created by costly digital infrastructure and support their faster integration of artificial intelligence solutions into business processes.
“Under the program, we provide interest-free financing of up to 5 million liras to startups holding a technology startup badge for access to high-performance computing infrastructure, secure data storage services and artificial intelligence tools. We offer this support with a 24-month term, including a 12-month repayment-free period.
“We will continue to support entrepreneurs to transform artificial intelligence startups originating in Türkiye into global brands.”
