Türkiye Launches National AI Strategy with $1.6 Billion Targeted Funding

Türkiye is launching a comprehensive national strategy to transform itself into a leading global center for artificial intelligence. Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacir announced the initiative during the GITEX Ai Türkiye event in Istanbul, signaling a strategic pivot toward sovereign AI capabilities and massive infrastructure scaling.

At the core of this push is the AI Action Plan for 2026-2030, which mandates that at least 2% of all public investment programs be allocated to AI projects. This effort is supported by the HIT-30 program, a broader $30 billion support initiative that includes a specific $1.6 billion call dedicated to artificial intelligence. To further stimulate the private sector, the government is committing $150 million in public funding specifically for AI-focused venture capital funds.

Infrastructure and Sovereign AI

Beyond direct funding, the strategy emphasizes the physical and intellectual infrastructure required to sustain an AI economy. Türkiye aims to expand its data center capacity to one gigawatt by 2030, while simultaneously working to mobilize $10 billion in private sector investment for cloud and digital infrastructure.

Central to the goal of technological independence is the development of BILGE, a native Turkish large language model (LLM). The government confirmed that BILGE will soon be released to developers, providing a domestic alternative to foreign AI models and ensuring that the nation's digital transformation is built on its own linguistic and cultural foundations.

Strategic Context

This shift follows a period of aggressive expansion in Türkiye's broader tech ecosystem. The government has already established 1,700 R&D centers and seen the launch of Togg, the national all-electric vehicle. Having previously mobilized $2.8 billion for startups through public fund-of-funds mechanisms, the administration is now moving from general tech support to a structured, long-term AI-centric approach.

Industry Implications

By integrating AI into a fixed percentage of public spending and targeting gigawatt-scale power capacity, Türkiye is attempting to move from a consumer of AI technology to a primary producer. This approach aims to reduce reliance on external providers and create a regional hub for AI development that can attract global talent and investment.

Future Outlook

As the 2026-2030 plan takes effect, the industry will be watching the rollout of the BILGE model and the actualization of the $10 billion private investment target. While the funding frameworks are now in place, the success of the strategy will depend on the ability of the domestic developer community to utilize these resources and the speed at which the required data center capacity is built.