The 41st National Informatics Congress, organized by the Turkish Informatics Association (TBD), was held under the main theme "Journey to the Digital Future" hosted by the Information Technologies and Communication Authority. The event, attended by Deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Dr. Ömer Fatih Sayan and Information Technologies and Communication Authority President Ömer Abdullah Karagözoğlu, was joined by numerous figures from the public and private sectors.
In his speech, Deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Dr. Ömer Fatih Sayan stated that areas such as artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things (IoT) stand out in digital transformation.
Sayan, noting that communication and informatics technologies have become a common denominator for the entire world and economy, said, "Countries that do not have a claim in informatics technologies—each of which covers a vast field on its own, such as artificial intelligence, chip design and production, mobile technologies, satellite technologies, the Internet of Things (IoT), and software development for developed hardware—and that do not invest in these areas do not seem likely to exist in the digital world of the future."
Drawing attention to IoT devices becoming one of the cornerstones of digitalization, Sayan said, "The use of IoT devices is increasing exponentially. In addition to smart home devices, IoT devices form the foundation of transformation in many sectors such as health, agriculture, and logistics. IoT is present in every aspect of our lives, from resource usage like energy and water to urban traffic control and environmental monitoring. We see technology as a situation that develops day by day, constantly presenting us with new challenges and competitions."
Deputy Minister Sayan: Artificial Intelligence is Spreading Rapidly
Sayan stated that artificial intelligence is the most popular topic of 2024 and that this technology is spreading rapidly worldwide.
Sayan, who pointed out that artificial intelligence is not just a technological innovation but is at the center of societal, economic, and strategic transformations, said, "In our country as well, studies and investments in this area are increasing. The number of companies developing artificial intelligence based in Turkey has reached 1,195 in 2024. If we consider technology as a race on the path to progress, our track in terms of communication is 5G and beyond technologies. 5G's low latency, high data transfer speeds, and support for more densely connected devices will enable better feeding of artificial intelligence models and accelerate the development of the IoT ecosystem."
Sayan concluded his speech by saying, “We continue our work with the momentum we gained from the National Technology Initiative to transition to 5G with our country's own national capabilities. In this context, we are conducting many studies to create an efficient product and technology ecosystem in 5G and beyond communication systems. We trust our youth regarding what can be achieved in 6G with national capabilities, both in terms of patents and standards.”
President Karagözoğlu: We Act with a National Responsibility Approach
Information Technologies and Communication Authority President Ömer Abdullah Karagözoğlu also delivered important messages to the participants during the event.
Karagözoğlu, stating that the informatics sector is now felt in every area of life and that digital transformation has become everyone's common issue, noted this.
Emphasizing that the new dimensions of competition between countries are now determined by digital transformation and innovation, Karagözoğlu said, "We too are working with this awareness and acting with a national responsibility approach. As BTK, we consider being a pioneer in digital transformation as a duty. In this context, we adopt innovation, reliability, and inclusivity principles in every step we take to strengthen the digital ecosystem. Increasing the localization rate in advanced technologies and supporting national software and hardware projects are among our primary goals."
Stating that the way to achieve these goals is to train qualified human resources, Karagözoğlu underlined that Turkey has great potential with its young population.
Drawing attention to the important mission undertaken by BTK Academy in strengthening Turkey's qualified human resources through the trainings it offers, Karagözoğlu said, “The trainings we provide not only impart technical knowledge but also aim to develop digital skills and elevate these skills to a globally competitive level. Today, BTK Academy's user base exceeding 2.5 million is a concrete indicator of this goal.”
Expressing that the National Cyber Incident Response Center (USOM) is working intensively to strengthen Turkey's cyber security infrastructure, Karagözoğlu said, "USOM not only detects potential threats but also actively works to secure our country's digital assets by developing preventive measures. These efforts are of great importance not only for our institutions but also for individuals' digital security. Because we know that a secure digital infrastructure is the guarantee of a strong future." He concluded his speech with these words.