AI strategy constitutes the growing backbone of all developments concerning AI.

Based on this vital nature of the subject and in collaboration with the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye Digital Transformation Office and the Ministry of Industry and Technology, and with the active participation of all relevant stakeholders, the “National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2021-2025,” Türkiye’s first national strategy document, was enacted through Presidential Circular No. 2021/18 and published in the Official Gazette dated 20 August 2021, and numbered 31574, in line with the 11th Development Plan. As of 24 July 2024, considering advancing technology and current needs, and in accordance with the 12th Development Plan, the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2021-2025 has been updated and presented to the public as the “Artificial Intelligence 2024-2025 Action Plan.” Additionally, the “Türkiye International Direct Investment Strategy (2024-2028) and Action Plans” prepared by the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye Investment Office were published in the Official Gazette dated 29 July, 2024, and numbered 32616.

The “Türkiye International Direct Investment Strategy (2024-2028) and Action Plans” emphasizes the contributions of Foreign Direct Investments to the Turkish economy and presents a strategic framework for the period of 2024-2028. The Türkiye International Direct Investment Strategy (2024-2028) and Action Plans have been prepared to accelerate Türkiye’s economic growth and create a more attractive investment environment, also for international investors. In this scope:

  • Completion of the compliance process with the European Union (“EU“) acquis, especially the General Data Protection Regulation of the EU, within the framework of the Personal Data Protection Law numbered 6698,
  • Making regulations to ensure national cybersecurity, taking into account new studies in the field of cybersecurity and the best practices internationally, in line with the EU Directive on the Security of Network and Information Systems,
  • Encouraging the development of domestic companies providing hosting (data center) services and activating competition in parallel with the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2021-2025,
  • Supporting the local production of 5G base stations, expanding their installation, and addressing infrastructure deficiencies,
  • Strategic goals related to artificial intelligence (“AI“) are also among the targets.

Besides, The National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2021-2025, shared with the public in 2021, is primarily organized under six strategic headings. These six strategies are as follows:

  1. Training artificial intelligence specialists and increasing employment in the field
  2. Supporting research, entrepreneurship, and innovation
  3. Expanding access to quality data and technical infrastructure
  4. Implementing regulations to accelerate socioeconomic adaptation
  5. Strengthening international collaborations
  6. Accelerating structural and workforce transformation

These six strategies are defined by 24 objectives and 119 measures. The Action Plan for the 2021-2025 period has been updated to the Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2024-2025 Action Plan (“2024-2025 Action Plan“) within the framework of the 12th Development Plan, considering rapid technological advancements in the Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) field and the dynamic needs of the country. This update aims to ensure that the strategy has a flexible and adaptive structure, facilitating the implementation of AI projects in accordance with effective and ethical principles, and enhancing the ecosystem’s maturity level and competitiveness. The 2024-2025 Action Plan outlines 19 actions based on the same six strategies. These action plans will be carried out by various institutions, including the Ministry of Industry and Technology, TÜBİTAK, the Turkish Employment Agency, the Ministry of National Education, the Presidential Investment Office, the Presidential Digital Transformation Office, the Personal Data Protection Authority, and the Ministry of Justice. Notable action plans include the following:

  • Attracting talent to Türkiye in the field of AI and increasing skilled workforce through the TechVisa Program,
  • Incorporating data science and AI topics into the curriculum of higher education programs and launching associate, undergraduate, and graduate programs in AI,
  • Establishing technical and ethical standards for locally developed generative AI models (e.g., LLM, LAM) and forming an expert committee to manage this process
  • Developing a large Turkish language model and creating the Turkish Large Language Model Community to involve voluntary participants from the entire ecosystem,
  • Implementing a support program to encourage the use of AI products and solutions developed through domestic R&D efforts by SMEs,
  • Preparing guidelines to clarify intellectual property rights of AI-generated content and standardizing the patenting process for AI products,
  • Conducting a needs analysis for processor infrastructure that will make Türkiye a global player in AI and developing the necessary capacity,
  • Creating an inventory of data held by public institutions and establishing a “Central Public Data Area” to make this data accessible to researchers and technology developers,
  • Developing national regulations that align with international norms for the development, use, and market placement of AI systems,
  • Preparing a Legal Assessment Guide for AI Applications,
  • Creating a Framework for AI Values and Principles Impact Analysis,
  • Developing tools required for the audit of reliable AI,
  • Establishing collaborations for knowledge and experience sharing with countries or global firms developing their own large language models,
  • Monitoring efforts related to the free and secure movement of data,
  • Creating a “Trusted AI Seal” through a certification mechanism for AI application audits and legal compliance by TÜBİTAK and the Turkish Standards Institution,
  • Developing necessary policies and legislation to detect, prevent, and mitigate the impact of new-generation cyber threats, especially those enhanced by AI, against Türkiye’s assets in cyberspace,
  • Establishing the “Türkiye AI Portal” under the management of TÜBİTAK Bilgem AI Institute,
  • Setting up “AI Co-Development Laboratories” with joint funding and aligned with the thematic area structure of the Institute under the TÜBİTAK BİLGEM AI Institute
  • Preparing national occupational standards and national qualifications in the field of AI and establishing an assessment and evaluation infrastructure within this scope.

You can access the full text of Türkiye International Direct Investment Strategy (2024-2028) and Action Plans here, and the National AI Strategy 2021-2025 here, and the full text of the 2024-2025 Action Plan here.

We expect AI to greatly serve humanity in the context of all repetitive processes in the public and private sectors. Even at the very start, the developments may help filter out and introduce an observation and audit mechanism against  human mistakes, latency, lack of coordination, inconsistencies and even arbitrariness from processes and results. We will continue to share our views in the light of legal developments on the subject, including regulatory compliance and intellectual property.

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