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TÜBA Issues Call for Academic Mobilization in Support of Strategic Transformation

The Artificial Intelligence Workshop organized by TÜBA brought together experts and academics in the field in Istanbul. The workshop, which discussed Türkiye's artificial intelligence strategy through interdisciplinary cooperation, evaluated the future of artificial intelligence, data management, ethics, law, education policies, and human resources in all their dimensions in sessions titled “Artificial Intelligence in Natural and Life Sciences” and “Artificial Intelligence in Education.”

Academics speaking at the workshop emphasized that artificial intelligence is not merely a tool but a fundamental building block in the transition to an information society. The message that stood out was, “We must develop language models, meaning, and governance capabilities, not just data processing.” In the sessions, which featured many scientists who have made significant contributions in their fields, the current information pollution regarding artificial intelligence, the need for transformation in education, strategic planning deficiencies, and legal infrastructure problems were discussed.

We are ready to put our hands to the task
TÜBA President Prof. Dr. Muzaffer Şeker stated in his evaluation at the end of the workshop that Türkiye should develop policies focused on application and production in the field of artificial intelligence without wasting any time. President Şeker said, "Artificial intelligence is not just a matter of technology, but also the reconstruction of humanity's relationship with knowledge. Therefore, limiting discussions on artificial intelligence to technical developments alone means addressing the issue on a very superficial level. What we need to do is to lead a mental transformation that will make this technology compatible with the common values and social needs of our country and then of humanity. Every speech we heard at the workshop showed that this transformation must be addressed not only in terms of engineering, but also in terms of society, law, ethics, education, communication, culture, and public policy. In this context, as TÜBA, we invite our scientists, institutions, and decision-makers to act in interdisciplinary cooperation. It seems imperative to create an artificial intelligence strategy document without delay. There is an urgent need for this framework, especially in education. Türkiye has the data and the human resources. At this point, Türkiye's young and dynamic population, developing academic infrastructure, and large data pool hold great potential for becoming a pioneer in artificial intelligence. However, it is not possible to activate this potential without a strategic vision. As TÜBA, our call is for the construction of an artificial intelligence ecosystem that centers on data-driven thinking, critical thinking, and multidisciplinary work. We need to transform ourselves into a society that not only uses artificial intelligence but also develops, manages, and understands it within an ethical framework. Many developed countries have already done this, producing AI models that incorporate their own languages, cultures, and ethical norms. We, on the other hand, are still in a position where we provide data to these systems but cannot obtain solutions that are appropriate for our own social context in return. This clearly shows that Türkiye must now move beyond simply using artificial intelligence and become a producer country that determines its own language model, ethical framework, and strategic orientations. We are ready to put our hands to the plow to demonstrate this determination."