He Emphasized Turkey's Strong Human Resources and Credited President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan With Restoring the Nation's Self-confidence

Turkey's Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacır announced a nationwide artificial intelligence literacy drive, targeting 5 million citizens over the next two years. Speaking at the 5th Boyluca Thought Camp in Alucra, Giresun, hosted by the Çağırgan Association, Kacır met with academics, researchers, and university students. He emphasized Turkey's strong human resources and credited President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan with restoring the nation's self-confidence.

Kacır described AI as a transformative force comparable to electricity or the internet, but warned of the threat posed by its misuse. He stressed the need for a unique roadmap, balancing ambitious goals with achievable steps. The minister highlighted the Ministry's role in advancing the National Technology Initiative, overseeing institutions like TÜBİTAK, TÜBA, the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office, and the Turkish Space Agency.

He noted that President Erdoğan unveiled Turkey's AI strategy last month, structured around four pillars: 'notice, benefit, produce, and manage. Kacır explained the deliberate choice of 'benefit' over 'use' to emphasize value creation. The government aims to train 100,000 application professionals and share public data with AI developers, leveraging Turkey's scale—one of only 5-6 countries with over 80 million population and per capita income above $15,000. The data-sharing framework is expected to be finalized by year-end.