Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır announced that Türkiye will take an important step in the field of artificial intelligence. Minister Kacır announced that Türkiye's first basic artificial intelligence large language model, enriched with Turkish data, will be made available in the coming period. This development is considered an important milestone towards Türkiye's goal of developing local and original models in artificial intelligence technologies.
Emphasis on Holistic Strategy in Artificial Intelligence Technologies
Speaking at the “7th Productivity and Technology Fair” held in Ankara, Minister Kacır drew attention to the fact that artificial intelligence development activities are generally carried out by companies that prioritize profit maximization, and stated that the US and China are prominent in this field worldwide. Kacır emphasized that it is unthinkable for Türkiye to fall behind in the field of artificial intelligence within the framework of the National Technology Move, and touched on the importance of using this technology in a way that will increase the peace and prosperity of humanity.
Minister Kacır stated that in order to make the best use of the artificial intelligence revolution, production systems, education policies and technology infrastructure should be shaped with a holistic strategy. He emphasized that it is critical to prepare the entrepreneurship ecosystem, industry and workforce for the digital economy.
More than 25 Billion Liras of Support for Artificial Intelligence Projects
Minister Kacır stated that significant support has been provided for Türkiye’s work in the field of artificial intelligence. Referring to the activities of the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy and the Artificial Intelligence Institute within TÜBİTAK, Kacır announced that more than 22 billion liras of support has been provided to 4 projects and 800 people in the field of artificial intelligence in the last 6 years within the scope of TÜBİTAK scholarship and support programs.
Minister Kacır stated that more than 2 companies in technoparks are developing innovative projects in the field of artificial intelligence, and 900 R&D centers are also working on artificial intelligence projects. He also emphasized that young people are being trained as individuals who shape the technologies of the future with projects such as TEKNOFEST, Deneyap Technology Workshops and Sector Campus.
Supercomputer ARF and EuroHPC Collaboration
Minister Kacır, drawing attention to the importance of a strong data processing infrastructure for the development of artificial intelligence technologies, stated that the ARF supercomputer with the power of 35 thousand laptops was put into service to support big data analysis and artificial intelligence research. He added that Türkiye has direct access to MareNostrum 5, one of the most powerful supercomputers in the world, thanks to its membership in the EuroHPC Joint Venture.
Local Artificial Intelligence Models and Transformation Programs
Minister Kacır announced that Türkiye's first basic artificial intelligence large language model, enriched with Turkish data, will be put into use in the upcoming period. Kacır stated that applications that will pave the way for the development of local and original artificial intelligence models will be implemented, and that the use of artificial intelligence technologies in production processes will be expanded with artificial intelligence transformation programs.
Minister Kacır emphasized that efforts will continue at full speed to make Türkiye one of the countries leading the artificial intelligence revolution. He also invited all citizens to TEKNOFEST, which will be held in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) on May 1-4.
