What is Turkey's announced "National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2021-2025"? What do the artificial intelligence strategy documents mean? What is the purpose of artificial intelligence strategy documents? Why is Turkey's artificial intelligence strategy important? What are the strategic priorities set forth by the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2021-2025?
1. What is Turkey's announced "National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2021-2025"?
The "National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2021-2025," which was publicly released on August 24, is a strategy document that aims to gather and guide artificial intelligence studies and initiatives planned for the next five years, in line with the Eleventh Development Plan and the 2021 Presidential Annual Program. In this context, the document was prepared jointly by the Presidential Digital Transformation Office and the Ministry of Industry and Technology.
2. What do artificial intelligence strategy documents mean?
Artificial intelligence is the new driving force of global technological development. To capture this new development trend, many countries are preparing national AI strategy documents to develop their AI ecosystem (machine learning, deep learning, big data analysis, etc.) and join the AI race. With these documents, countries outline their future visions for the technology, their roadmaps for digital initiatives, and their investment plans.
Artificial intelligence technology, by its nature, represents an integrated technology cluster with many emerging technologies. Therefore, a strategy developed with AI also encompasses many technologies such as data mining, cybersecurity, blockchain, and the Internet of Things. National AI strategies outline how each country will coordinate the investment and implementation efforts of both the public and private sectors to leverage AI for the public good. Furthermore, AI strategy documents play a crucial role in determining adaptive, supportive, and preventative policies against AI technology trends at the national level by monitoring the economic, political, and even social structures of countries. Many countries are racing to gain a global innovation advantage in AI technology.
Key themes in AI strategy documents include public policies such as creating new business areas, supporting data ecosystems, developing AI principles and ethical standards, and determining AI-related R&D investments. Furthermore, it's possible to observe countries' differing AI visions and approaches in AI strategy documents. Since 2017, over sixty countries have published national AI strategies. According to OECD data, many countries are also in the process of developing AI strategies.
3. What is the purpose of AI strategy documents?
The preparation phases of AI-related public policies are as important as the policies themselves. Many countries are developing national AI strategies to effectively develop national AI initiatives and capitalize on the transformative potential of the AI ecosystem. Furthermore, countries are designing national AI strategies and policies to prepare for the socioeconomic changes AI will bring and to establish governance mechanisms appropriate for the AI era. Therefore, these strategies and documents aim to define countries' AI visions and strategic priorities and to foster collaboration among AI ecosystem actors.
4. Why is Turkey's AI strategy important?
The National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2021-2025 serves as a roadmap for Turkey's future work in the field of artificial intelligence and is designed in line with the "Digital Turkey" vision and the "National Technology Initiative." Accordingly, the strategy's vision is "to generate global value through an agile and sustainable AI ecosystem for a prosperous Turkey." The strategy document is of great importance in the context of Turkey's entry into the global AI race. Furthermore, it provides an opportunity to identify stakeholders in the AI ecosystem, identify priority application and investment areas, increase scientific productivity in AI, and discuss the legal and ethical aspects of AI. The National Artificial Intelligence Strategy document focuses on multifaceted goals such as increasing the maturity level of Turkey's AI ecosystem, developing institutional competencies in AI and data analytics, and strengthening international collaborations. In addition, the "2020-2023 National Smart Cities Strategy and Action Plan" complements other national strategies, plans, and programs, particularly the "2023 Industrial and Technology Strategy" and the "National Cybersecurity Strategy and Action Plan (2020-2023)."
5.What are the strategic priorities set forth by the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2021-2025?
The strategy document identifies strategic priorities in six different areas and outlines a total of twenty-four objectives and one hundred and nineteen measures within the scope of these priorities. In this context, strategic priorities include:
Training artificial intelligence experts and increasing employment in this field
Supporting research, entrepreneurship, and innovation
Improving access to quality data and technical infrastructure
Implementing regulations that will accelerate socioeconomic harmonization
Strengthening international collaborations
Accelerating structural and workforce transformation
To this end, the objectives have been identified: increasing employment in the field of artificial intelligence to 50,000 people and the number of enterprises to 1,000; increasing the share of artificial intelligence in Turkey's total R&D expenditures to 15 percent; establishing a "Public Data Space" that will ensure secure data sharing and analysis by involving at least 50 public institutions; increasing the brain drain and reverse brain drain to Turkey; increasing participation in national and international projects; and actively using artificial intelligence technologies in the context of smart city applications in at least 250 municipalities. Additionally, unlike other countries' strategies, the emphasis on governance and the participation of diverse stakeholders in decision-making processes is also noteworthy.
