Istanbul: Global technology event GITEX AI will convene in Istanbul next month as Trkiye steps up efforts to expand artificial intelligence (AI) literacy and train specialists under its 2026-2030 AI Action Plan. The two-day GITEX AI Trkiye event, scheduled for Sept. 9-10 in Istanbul, will bring together global technology companies, academics, and government officials to support Trkiye's tech talent ecosystem.
According to Anadolu Agency, the action plan aims to train 10,000 AI specialists, 100,000 AI application professionals, and five million people in AI literacy by 2028, while supporting broader efforts to integrate the technology across the public and private sectors. Around 300 exhibitors, 150 speakers, and 100 investors are expected to participate in the event, hosted by the Turkish Investment and Finance Office in partnership with the Industry and Technology Ministry.
Organizations attending the event will focus on helping bridge the country's skills gap as Ankara increases investment in integrating AI across industry and public services. The UK's Royal Academy of Engineering will also participate, offering a global perspective on developing AI talent and fostering innovation. Gaelle Elisha, the academy's senior program manager, said engineers in the AI era need capabilities beyond technical expertise, with systems thinking, ethics, security, governance, and human-centered design becoming as important as traditional software engineering.
Turkish companies participating in the event are also adapting their workforce training to meet these emerging requirements. Yetkin Aksoy, general manager of technology firm Mobiliz, said creating more opportunities for young talent through real-world AI projects and drawing on cross-sector expertise would be key going forward. Ersin Buyukyilmaz, CEO of IT firm Treomind, said the current era requires multidisciplinary professionals capable of navigating complex and relatively new areas such as data governance, hybrid cloud infrastructure, and business strategy within a single operating model.
Social enterprises such as Istanbul-based talent hub Kodluyoruz have already upskilled tens of thousands of people in cybersecurity and AI through partnerships with IBM and Microsoft, its president Berat Kjamili said. Trkiye aims to play a central role in efforts to turn academic AI education into employment and commercial products, supported by a network of 114 technoparks and more than 13,000 startups.