Türkiye wants to become the bridge between Europe and Asia for artificial intelligence, and it is backing that ambition with billions in new investment.
The country’s information and communications technology sector currently sits at roughly $38 billion. Forecasts project that figure will climb to $58 billion by 2031, according to data released ahead of the first GITEX Ai Türkiye 2026, scheduled for September 9 and 10 at Istanbul Expo Centre.
This year alone, Türkiye has committed $3 billion toward data centres and AI infrastructure. Officials also aim to pull in another $10 billion from private investors to reach one gigawatt of data centre capacity by 2030.
Meanwhile, the talent pipeline is widening. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan unveiled a plan in June 2026 to train 10,000 advanced AI specialists plus 100,000 professionals skilled in applying AI across industries.
Startup activity tells a similar story. Turkish ventures pulled in $559 million during the first quarter of 2026, more than seven times what they raised a year earlier. The country now hosts 114 technoparks with over 13,000 startups, alongside 1,700 research and development centres.
The upcoming GITEX Ai Türkiye event will draw more than 300 technology firms, founders, investors, and government officials. Supporting organisations include the Investment and Finance Office of the Presidency and the Ministry of Industry and Technology.
A. Burak Dağlıoğlu, President of Invest in Türkiye, said growing investor confidence reflects the country’s young digital workforce and expanding startup ecosystem. GITEX CEO Trixie LohMirmand noted Türkiye’s geographic position makes it a natural corridor for cross-border AI and digital innovation.
Confirmed participants include Google Cloud, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, NVIDIA, ASUS, Dell Technologies, Huawei, SAP, and Trendyol. Google Cloud joins as Cloud Headline Partner after announcing a new cloud region in Türkiye under a $2 billion, 10-year deal with Turkcell.
More than 100 investors from 20 countries will attend, collectively managing about $50 billion in assets. They plan to meet startups from technoparks including İTÜ ARI Teknokent, Teknopark Ankara, and YTU Yıldız Teknopark.
The gathering will cover AI, telecom and 5G, cloud, cybersecurity, fintech, quantum computing, and smart manufacturing. As capital flows and talent expands, Türkiye positions itself as a regional base for AI development and a gateway connecting European, Asian, and Middle Eastern markets.
