Istanbul, February 5, 2026 – The “Turkish Artificial Intelligence Ecosystem and Global Impact Report” was unveiled at an event organized by Türkiye İş Bankası’s venture capital fund Yapay Zeka Fabrikası. The report, which sheds light on the current state of the ecosystem and its global positioning, was evaluated with the participation of leading figures from the entrepreneurship and investment landscape.
The closing session of the event featured a fireside chat between Emre Kurttepeli and Can Bakır, which stood out as one of the most prominent discussions of the day. In an engaging and in-depth conversation, the speakers addressed the key findings of the report, examining Türkiye’s current position in artificial intelligence, investment dynamics, and global competitiveness.
Emre Kurttepeli, an angel investor in successful ventures such as Trendyol and Insider, emphasized that investments in AI startups in Türkiye remain at a relatively low level when benchmarked against Silicon Valley standards. Highlighting that artificial intelligence is a capital-intensive field, Kurttepeli noted that while Turkish startups show strong promise at the early stage, there is a noticeable decline at the Series A investment stage.
Recalling that Türkiye has become one of the world’s three main hubs in mobile gaming, Kurttepeli stated that a similar success story is also possible in AI. However, he pointed out that many corporations, even when presented with better solutions, tend to avoid risk by opting for established international providers rather than Turkish startups. He underlined that the widespread adoption of AI within institutions requires an “AI-friendly” management mindset.
During the fireside chat, the speakers also evaluated the rapid global surge in AI investments. Kurttepeli stated that massive investments driven by the fear of missing out have contributed to a bubble effect. Nevertheless, he argued that AI will not share the same fate as crypto assets, given its strong and tangible use cases in both corporate environments and everyday life.
Kurttepeli further noted that while regulations in Türkiye require data to be stored locally, the necessary data center infrastructure to meet this requirement is not yet sufficiently developed. He emphasized that addressing such structural constraints is essential for sustainable growth in the AI sector.
The report presented at the event highlighted the critical steps needed in investment, regulation, and institutional transformation for Türkiye’s AI ecosystem to achieve a stronger position in global competition.
https://aposto.com/s/yapay-zeka-abrikasi-raporu-turkiye-yapay-zeka-ekosistemi-1188
https://www.yapayzekafabrikasi.com.tr/2025-etki-raporu?utm_source=aposto
