A 70% Utilization Rate Is Targeted for Operational Capacity.

Turkey is set to establish "artificial intelligence growth zones" and "AI factories" to expand its investment, production, and entrepreneurship ecosystem in the AI field. A two-stage fund mechanism, spanning from basic research to company scaling, will also be activated. Under the "Turkey Artificial Intelligence Action Plan" for the 2026-2030 period, coordinated by the Ministry of Industry and Technology, private investment plans in AI are being implemented.

Public resources and private sector investments will be mobilized toward common goals, aiming to create economic value exceeding 1 trillion liras, using the public budget, private investments, international funds, incentive mechanisms, and public-private partnerships. To accelerate large-scale data center and AI investments, work has begun on creating "AI growth zones" with pre-prepared energy, land, and telecommunications infrastructure. These special-status zones will feature accelerated permitting and licensing processes and redundant high-capacity fiber connections, and will host "AI factories" that multiple companies can use simultaneously.

The factories, powered by low-carbon electricity, will combine large-scale computing capacity with data spaces, model development tools, test environments, technical support, and productization services. Anchor investors and operators will be expected to reserve capacity for SM Es, startups, and researchers, provide mentorship, and contribute to the local ecosystem. The plan targets announcing the first growth zone and selecting anchor investors within one year, and launching at least one zone with its first-phase capacity by the end of 2027. By the end of 2028, at least five growth zones are to be announced, with at least three operational, along with at least three regional centers of excellence and six access points.

A 70% utilization rate is targeted for operational capacity. Through these AI factories, SM Es and entrepreneurs are expected to level up. A "AI Financing Ladder" consisting of two funds will be created to support the process from basic research to startup scaling.

The National AI Research Fund will support basic and applied research and early-stage projects, channeling at least 10 billion liras to projects, with at least 40% of supported projects advancing to pilot or prototype stage. Domestic startups that mature through the research fund or prove product-market fit will be supported through the AI Growth Fund, worth 15 billion liras, contributing to investments in at least 20 AI startups. For every unit of public resource used, at least two units of private capital are targeted to be mobilized.

The fund will operate through three mechanisms: joint investment by public and private investors on equal terms, channeling resources to domestic and foreign venture capital funds, and providing debt and guarantee support to startups. The financing mechanism will be run under the main responsibility of the Ministry of Industry and Technology, in cooperation with the Ministry of Treasury and Finance, the Presidency of Strategy and Budget, TÜBİTAK, and the Turkey Wealth Fund. To help SM Es and startups turn ideas into products, at least 1,000 AI coupons will be allocated in the first 12 months.

At least half of supported projects will move to field pilots, and at least one-third of those will become permanent products or services. Targets include an average productivity or quality increase of at least 10% in pilots, a maximum of 4 months from trial to pilot, and a maximum of 6 months from pilot to product. By 2030, at least $10 billion in private-sector-led investment in AI and data centers is planned, reaching at least 1 gigawatt of installed capacity.

Data center and AI calls under the HIT-30 High Technology Investment Program will form the incentive backbone for these investments. A single window for international investors will complete pre-eligibility assessment and investment roadmap within a maximum of 30 business days.