National Artificial Intelligence Action Plan and BAU Perspective: Turkey’s New Position in International Competition

The National Artificial Intelligence Action Plan has presented an important roadmap indicating that Turkey has initiated a new era in the fields of technology production, data infrastructure and artificial intelligence literacy. Covered for the 2026–2030 period, the plan was shared with the public at the Turkey Artificial Intelligence Summit. Organized by the Ministry of Industry and Technology at Rixos Tersane Istanbul in Beyoğlu, the summit brought together technology leaders, engineers, academics and sector representatives around the same vision.

At the center of the plan are the headings "Aware, Leverage, Produce and Govern". These four axes do not only aim to increase utilisation skills in the field of artificial intelligence; they also address production, governance, ethical framework and infrastructure development together. It is targeted to mobilise a 10 billion dollar resource, with a private-sector focus, for data centres, cloud infrastructures and domestic artificial intelligence projects. Additionally, it is planned to provide artificial intelligence literacy training to 5 million citizens, train 110 thousand specialists and allocate a 2 percent share for artificial intelligence in public projects.

In this process, the evaluations of BAU Hub Director Seda Satır reveal Bahçeşehir University's approach to artificial intelligence more clearly. Satır emphasizes that artificial intelligence has ceased to be just a tool that is used, and has transformed into a technology field that produces, analyses and guides different sectors. The integration of artificial intelligence in a wide range of fields, from education to agriculture, and from defence industry to creative industries, is seen as critical for Turkey to move to a stronger position in international competition.

Bahçeşehir University's steps in this field are supported by a proactive vision shaped through BAU Hub. The Future AI Summit, regularly brought to life by the institution, stands out as one of the important platforms that keeps the topic of artificial intelligence on the agenda with a focus on academia, technology and industry. This approach is taken to a more systematic level through institutional structures such as the artificial intelligence roadmap, artificial intelligence policy and competency unit. The OpenAI Education licence agreement, on the other hand, ensures that a wide community, from students to academics, and from research staff to administrative staff, is involved in artificial intelligence-supported work processes. 

The BİLGE language model, introduced at the summit, was also one of Turkey's notable steps in terms of domestic technology production. General Manager of BK Mobil A.Ş., İsrafil Dilmeç, stated that with the BİLGE language model, an era in which dependency on foreign-sourced technology is reduced has been entered. The learning assistants developed for students via Metodbox and the new assistant plans aimed at teachers show that the digital transformation process in educational technologies is progressing more strongly.

The National Artificial Intelligence Action Plan does not merely present a strategy containing technology investments; it brings together human resources, data infrastructure, ethical governance and educational focus in the same framework. Bahçeşehir University's efforts in the fields of BAU Hub, OpenAI Education and artificial intelligence integration stand as a powerful example demonstrating how universities can play an active role in this new era.