National Technology Initiative and AI Integration

The National Technology Initiative aims to increase local production capacity and ensuretechnological independence for Türkiye. The role of artificial intelligence is stronglyemphasized among high technology areas, recognising the power of digital transformationtechnologies. This chapter overviews the vision of producing high value-added solutionsbased on advanced technology and their strategic directions, including the 2030 Industry andTechnology Strategy. The Turkish Large Language Base Model and the new AI cluster of the Turkish National Science e-Infrastructure ARF ACC are provided as key national projects. The TÜBİTAK Artificial Intelligence Institute that is established based on the National ArtificialIntelligence Strategy and acts as a bridge between academia and industry is overviewed with its thematic areas of smart manufacturing systems, climate change and sustainability, smartagriculture, food, and livestock, smart education technologies, and financial and e-commercetechnologies. The Artificial Intelligence Ecosystem Calls and advances in artificial intelligencewithin the scope of TÜBİTAK High Technology Platforms are represented with illustrativeexamples. In a future outlook, the Artificial Intelligence Roadmap with layers based ontechnological goals, critical products and technologies, and critical sectoral needs is sharedalong with the framework of prioritised R&D and innovation topics. These developments andothers are placed in the context of becoming an attraction centre for top scientists in the regionand around the world and a production hub for advanced technologies, including scientificand technological breakthroughs in artificial intelligence. Pioneering advances frominternational fellows and institutional leadership at the global scale are underlined. Advancesin artificial intelligence technologies and solutions are being enriched with aligned strategicdirections at the national level and the dedication of researchers, young human resources, andinstitutions within the research, development, and innovation ecosystem. Together, theresearch, development, and innovation ecosystem is working in collaboration to make theguiding vision for the Century of Türkiye a reality.