The 8th Mediterranean Informatics Summit Was Held

Hosted by Akdeniz University Antalya Teknokent, the 8th Mediterranean Informatics Summit was held with broad participation. The event, the largest in the region's informatics sector, featured the theme “Reach for the Stars, Design the Future,” with Turkey's second astronaut, Tuva Cihangir Atasever, also in attendance.

SUPPORTING SIGNIFICANT PROJECTS IN THE INFORMATICS SECTOR

Expressing his happiness to be part of the summit, Deputy Minister of Industry and Technology, Muhammet Kasım Gönüllü, stated, “We are taking steps to position Turkey among the world's top centers for technology development and value-added production. To this end, we launched the largest-scale HIT-30 Incentive Program in our history. This program aims to make Turkey a global center for high-tech products production. The HIT-30 program, which anticipates a thirty billion-dollar investment in technology by 2030, presents a broad vision covering digital technologies, mobility, green energy, and advanced manufacturing. These investments will place the country in a more advantageous position in the global competitive environment. We are also supporting significant projects in the informatics sector through our technology-driven industrial program.”

THE ENTREPRENEURSHIP ECOSYSTEM HAS BECOME A MAGNET

Discussing technoparks, Gönüllü shared, “We are working to grow Turkey's technology ventures. The number of technology startups in our technoparks' incubation centers has surpassed 3,000. The majority of the technology-based software firms and aspiring entrepreneurs in the country are located in our 104 technoparks. Today, over 50% of the 11,000 companies in technoparks are engaged in software, employing over 46,000 information technology staff. Additionally, 1,660 R&D and design centers across 57 provinces employ over 94,000 people, working on technological advancements. Thanks to the ecosystem and infrastructure we've established, technology entrepreneurship in Turkey has experienced its golden age since the pandemic. Investments in technology startups this year have already surpassed the total of the previous decade, reaching 790 million dollars. I can confidently say that Turkey's entrepreneurial ecosystem has become a regional and global magnet.”

FIFTY NATIONAL TECHNOLOGY WORKSHOPS TO BE ESTABLISHED

Gönüllü also announced, “Next year, we will establish fifty national technology workshops in our university campuses, providing opportunities for young people to develop projects. The 8th Mediterranean Informatics Summit offers us a roadmap not only to solve today's problems but also to address tomorrow's challenges. Investments in artificial intelligence, blockchain, and big data will strengthen Turkey's digital leadership and increase our global competitive power.”

THE WORLD IS CHANGING AT A DAZZLING PACE

Antalya Governor Hulusi Şahin emphasized, “Humans have been on Earth for about 300,000 years. For the first 297,000 years, everything was almost the same. The agricultural revolution brought changes over three thousand years. The industrial revolution changed the last three centuries. Now, with the digital revolution, the last thirty years have been different. In just the past three years, technologies are changing and becoming obsolete at dizzying speeds. Our generation has seen this transformation firsthand. I was a university student when I first saw a computer and remember when the first television came to our home. Information is growing at an incredible rate. The world has changed so much that accessing information has become very easy, and there's little secret information left. The new challenge lies in processing this massive amount of information. The new world will be shaped by how we handle this challenge. This is the revolution that artificial intelligence represents, a revolution that we will fully understand in the future.”

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IS EVERYWHERE

In her speech, Akdeniz University Rector Prof. Dr. Özlenen Özkan shared an example of artificial intelligence in use: “Technology is much more than just a tool; it's a force that shapes our societies and transforms them. With artificial intelligence, innovation, and informatics solutions, we are rapidly advancing toward a world where we can solve problems we could only dream of in the past. Today, we are gathered not only to explore technology but also our boundaries and potential. I'm confident we'll have an inspiring day filled with collaboration and motivation. The speech you've just heard was entirely written by artificial intelligence. I uploaded the invitation for this summit to the system and asked it to generate an opening speech. The text you've heard was the result. Just imagine, this technology is capable of creating such a detailed opening speech from just an invitation. This is the result of only a few minutes of work. The most intriguing part is that none of you would have realized it was written by AI if I hadn't told you. This reality poses a question to all of us: Where are our limits? Where does the human element stand in this technology? If artificial intelligence can write a personal speech so naturally, how do we define human traits like creativity and originality?”

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IS INFLUENCING OUR DECISIONS

Rector Özkan also discussed how artificial intelligence is not only processing data but becoming a powerful force influencing emotions, behaviors, and decisions. “Artificial intelligence models worldwide are offering new solutions in every field. Last year's new models from OpenAI showed how they can transform millions of lives. As a doctor, I closely follow the potential of AI to revolutionize medicine. Early diagnosis, precision treatment, and personalized healthcare are no longer science fiction but a reality. However, this technology also raises ethical issues. Will algorithms alone decide whether a decision is right or wrong? As we answer this question, we must preserve humanity's shared values. Technology is a tool, but vision belongs to humans. We are the ones who define the limits of artificial intelligence, not the codes that create it. Today, we are at one of the most critical moments in deciding where humanity will stand in the technological age. Technology is a reflection of humanity. What we see in it is what we decide.”

BE INDIVIDUALS WHO LEAD TECHNOLOGY

Encouraging young people, Rector Özkan said, “You must not only keep up with developments in your field but also work diligently to develop solutions that will push these technologies further. You must be individuals who lead technology, not just follow it. By guiding your thinking with the power of knowledge and innovative ideas, you can help carry our country and humanity to a better future. I firmly believe this, and I urge you to believe in yourselves as well.”

WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH ALL OUR STRENGTH

General Manager Dr. İbrahim Yavuz shared details about Antalya Teknokent's projects and future plans: “With our technology transfer office, entrepreneurship and incubation center, Caretta Pre-Incubation Center, and prototype workshop units, along with our robust infrastructure and 20 years of experience, we continue our work. At Antalya Teknokent's technology transfer office, which is authorized by Akdeniz University, we serve our academicians and students in areas such as intellectual property, project seminars, project writing training, mentoring, and commercialization.”

WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENTED MANY PROJECTS IN OUR TECHNOPARK

Dr. Yavuz continued, “Antalya Teknokent has ranked 7th out of 104 technoparks in the last five years. We have successfully implemented many projects, including our Technology Valley Project, which is a significant international initiative. This project will serve as both a hub for local entrepreneurs and a center for global companies managing their operations. In the near future, we will offer an ideal working environment for entrepreneurs and technology firms with the opening of the Antalya Teknokent R&D 4 Building, which will offer 7,200 m² of new technological infrastructure.”

WE'VE MADE GREAT ADVANCEMENTS IN SPACE TRAVEL

Tuva Cihangir Atasever, one of Turkey's first astronauts, spoke about her space journey: “We gained many insights from our space journey. We underwent critical tests and training and were prepared for every detail. We've been educated on the rules for space flights, and we've also tested communication systems.”

She also mentioned the upcoming plans for Turkey's National Space Program, including the Lunar Research Program, the Turkish Astronaut and Scientific Mission Program, and other key space missions.

AWARDS WERE PRESENTED TO THE BEST COMPANIES

At the summit, awards were presented to the top companies within the technopark. The awards included categories like the company with the most student employment, the best-developed incubation company, and the most innovative company in artificial intelligence.

ALL-DAY EVENTS

The event also featured inspiring speeches from sector leaders and panels discussing digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and more, with contributions from various experts, including from CW Enerji, Akın Robotics, Microsoft, and others. The final section featured valuable academic insights from Prof. Dr. Uğur Batı.