The Eurasia Technology Week, which will run from April 17-19, has started in Istanbul. Dr. Ömer Fatih Sayan, Deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, and Ömer Abdullah Karagözoğlu, President of the Information Technologies and Communication Authority, attended the organized event.
In his speech at the organization, Sayan described the current era as the technology age, stating that investments in the technology sector are not a choice but a necessity.
Noting that artificial intelligence is the fundamental building block of digital transformation, Sayan said, “Today, artificial intelligence is viewed as a helper in many sectors. But now it is no longer a helper; it is an actor… It has become a partner in decision-making processes in numerous areas, from health to education, from defense to transportation.”
Sayan, who stated that advancements in artificial intelligence and telecommunications complement each other, said, “The telecommunications sector is not just a communication tool; it is the backbone of digital development, the infrastructure of smart cities, the digital arm of our defense industry, and the carrier of all services from education to health. In other words, we are talking about a sector that goes beyond cables and satellites; one that carries and transmits the voice, knowledge, and future of our nation.”
Emphasizing that the spread of the internet brings cyber threats along with countless opportunities, Sayan stated, “We are prepared! As I have repeatedly emphasized in every speech, we are strengthening our preparedness with our domestic and national technologies. Our National Cyber Incident Response Center (USOM) protects our country day and night against threats with the entirely domestic and national software we have developed ourselves.”
Sayan, who stated that their goal is to build a strong Turkey not only in today's world but also in tomorrow's, said, “Drawing strength from the National Technology Initiative, we are working day and night to realize the Turkey Century vision set forth by our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.”
Sayan concluded his speech by saying, “With our own engineers, our own entrepreneurs, and our own youth, we aim to be the leading nation of the future. As we move toward this goal, we aim to be a Turkey that stands on its own feet, not dependent on others. We produce together, grow together, and write the future together.”
President Karagözoğlu: Every Technology Produced by Our Country with Its Own Resources is Treasured
In his speech at the event, Karagözoğlu drew attention to the increasing volume of data alongside advancing technology and emphasized the importance of domestic and national production in this regard.
Karagözoğlu said, “Every technology produced by our country with its own resources is treasured. As BTK, we continue our efforts with determination and resolve in line with the ‘National Technology Initiative’ vision and the ‘Turkey Century’ goal. One of the most intensive areas of our work is 5G.”
Stating that as BTK they place great importance on collaborative efforts with stakeholders regarding 5G, Karagözoğlu said, “The Communication Technologies Cluster, established for these purposes, has become one of the most important building blocks of our technology ecosystem with over 160 members, and we are achieving significant milestones with them. As the next step after 5G, we are also incorporating 6G into our plans. We have already begun work on 6G technology.”
Expressing that they are on high alert against cyber threats that may arise with digitalization, Karagözoğlu concluded his speech by saying, “As BTK, we continue to work with all our strength to fulfill our duties in protecting our country and nation against cyber attack threats. We are shaping Turkey's digitalization on secure and sustainable foundations.”