In a strategic transfer to spice up digital sovereignty and scale back overseas dependency, Türkiye this week launched two main initiatives targeted on synthetic intelligence and location-based providers.
The calls, introduced by Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacır, goal to speed up the event of a Turkish-language massive language mannequin (LLM) and domestically developed navigation and mapping functions.
The initiatives are a part of Türkiye’s broader nationwide imaginative and prescient to scale back exterior dependency in location-based providers and synthetic intelligence infrastructure, because it seeks to safe technological autonomy, generate financial worth, and improve protection and public sector capabilities by native innovation
Grants for AI tasks
“In line with our National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, we are launching the ‘Turkish Large Language Foundation Model Sectoral Adaptation Project Call,'” Kacır mentioned on social media platform X.
“With this call, through which we will provide grant support of up to TL 50 million ($1.26 million) per project, we will both enhance the representation power of the Turkish language in artificial intelligence and strengthen our technological independence by developing large language models that will offer specific solutions to our sectors,” the minister mentioned.
The authorities, Kacır mentioned, will proceed to take steps that can make Türkiye “one of the pioneering countries of the new digital age shaped by AI technologies and reinforce our AI ecosystem with reliable and high value-added solutions.”
The name is open to startups and expertise builders specializing in functions in finance, well being, schooling and power.
National mapping, navigation platform
The second initiative goals to exchange foreign-based digital maps with homegrown navigation and mapping applied sciences.
“With the aim of developing national solutions in the strategically important field of location-based services and paving the way for innovative applications, we have launched the ‘Mapping and Navigation Application Development Projects Call,'” Kacır mentioned.
Withing th escope of the initiative, the minister confused the goal to develop high-performance, user-friendly and AI-supported navigation functions with revolutionary options that meet the wants of customers in Türkiye, similar to communication with emergency providers (112), carbon footprint calculation and entry to real-time visitors knowledge.
“I invite our investors and industry stakeholders to participate in this program, which we launched to strengthen our digital sovereignty, bolster the domestic ecosystem in mapping and navigation, and enhance our international competitiveness,” Kacır mentioned.
As a part of the initiatives, processing of customers’ location knowledge by home infrastructure can be inspired according to the ideas of digital sovereignty and knowledge independence.
Domestic home navigation and map functions can be prioritized throughout all business functions, particularly in crucial sectors, and a wide range of revolutionary, localized features are anticipated to emerge.
Features similar to 112 integration, carbon footprint calculation and real-time visitors knowledge supply can be obligatory.
Strategically tailored navigation providers for protection and public businesses are additionally a key objective. By integrating synthetic intelligence, Türkiye seeks to facilitate fashionable functions with user-friendly and high-performance interfaces.
Independence in AI
With the decision introduced on Monday, grants of as much as TL 50 million ($1.26 million) per venture can be offered to initiatives that can develop Turkish massive language fashions tailor-made to particular sectors.
The ultimate software deadline has been set as Aug. 29. The venture goals to scale back dependency in Turkish-language AI initiatives. It is deliberate to develop massive language fashions that replicate the linguistic and cultural depth of Turkish.
The authorities’s goal is to assist fashions that may be deeply tailored to areas similar to finance, well being care, schooling and power.
New Turkish biotech startup Enlila targets continual illness with Harvard assist
Iş Private Equity, the enterprise capital arm of Türkiye Işbank Group, has introduced its funding in Enlila, a biotechnology startup born out of a analysis collaboration with the Hotamisligil Laboratory at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
The enterprise goals to develop revolutionary therapies for weight problems and age-related ailments, constructing on groundbreaking scientific discoveries led by Gökhan Hotamışlıgil, a James S. Simmons Professor of Genetics and Metabolism on the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
The transfer helps what’s rising as some of the urgent world well being challenges. According to the World Health Organization, almost 890 million individuals are affected by weight problems globally, a quantity that’s anticipated to surpass 1.5 billion by 2035.
Simultaneously, the worldwide biotechnology market had reached a dimension of $1.37 trillion as of 2023, and it’s anticipated to surpass $3.8 trillion by 2030 with a compound annual development fee of 13.9%.
As a Türkiye-based world biotechnology participant, Enlila will contribute to the nation’s science and technology-focused export capability and play a number one function in selling certified tutorial collaborations.
The Enlila initiative attracts from analysis performed at Harvard by professor Hotamışlıgil, who recognized novel metabolic hormone techniques taking part in a central function in how growing older impacts flexibility and adaptation in human metabolism.
“As we age, we lose our metabolic flexibility and adaptability, which accelerates the onset of many diseases,” Hotamışlıgil mentioned in his speech on the signing ceremony.
“My lab has identified new metabolic hormone systems that play a central role in these processes and demonstrated their potential as therapies in preclinical models. This fund will support and accelerate our search for solutions to obesity and age-related diseases. We are committed to advancing this vision,” he famous.
Global-scale collaboration
Speaking on the ceremony, Işbank General Manager Hakan Aran mentioned they had been launching a global-scale collaboration within the fields of science and expertise, marking the financial institution’s second century.
“As our founder Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk stated, science is the most reliable guide in life, for material things, for spirituality, for life itself, and for success. The journey we are embarking on with Enlila is extremely valuable in light of our group’s mission. This innovative initiative, to be carried out in partnership with Harvard University, opens new doors for a high-quality, disease-free life by combining the power of science and finance under the umbrella of academia-industry cooperation,” Aran mentioned.
He confused that they take nice delight and satisfaction in taking part in a job in reworking a scientific discovery into a possible remedy for continual ailments related to growing older and weight problems.
“This partnership is not just an investment for us; it means being part of a vision that offers hope to humanity. In parallel with academic efforts, the newly established biotech venture Enlila will work to translate discoveries with significant potential for healthy living into real treatments,” he famous.
“We firmly believe that this vision, born under the leadership of Turkish scientists at one of the world’s premier scientific institutions like Harvard, will become a success story in the global health ecosystem.”
Kubilay Aykol, common supervisor of Iş Private Equity, mentioned biotechnology entrepreneurship will not be solely one among at this time’s strategic development areas but in addition some of the important for the subsequent century.
“Being a player in this field offers opportunities to create value across science, health care, and the economy. With Enlila, which we’ve headquartered in Türkiye, our goal is to support the development of a treatment that can address chronic diseases linked to aging and obesity,” Aykol mentioned.
“We at Iş Private Equity take great pride in leading this initiative, which gives life to a globally applicable treatment originating from Türkiye. By being part of such a unique structure, we believe we can contribute to our country, the scientific community and all of humanity.”
Majority of corporations search generative AI expertise: Report
A brand new world examine by Amazon Web Services (AWS) highlights the rising affect of generative synthetic intelligence in reshaping business operations, because the demand for AI-skilled professionals surges throughout industries.
AWS surveyed 3,739 IT decision-makers throughout 9 international locations for its “Generative AI Adoption Index,” which reveals the tempo and scope of AI integration amongst organizations.
One of essentially the most placing findings is the fast rise of the Chief AI Officer function: 60% of organizations have already appointed somebody to this place, whereas one other 26% plan to take action by 2026.
The report anticipates a serious hiring wave in 2025. An overwhelming 90% of organizations say they intend to rent professionals with generative AI experience, and 1 / 4 of these surveyed famous that a minimum of half of their new roles would require generative AI abilities.
Strategic priorities
Berrin Özselçuk, AWS Türkiye nation supervisor, mentioned generative AI is reworking not solely how routine duties are automated but in addition how creativity is enhanced and decision-making is optimized, essentially altering the way in which companies function.
To harness the complete potential of generative AI, Özselçuk emphasised three strategic priorities for organizations: implementing change administration frameworks, overcoming academic limitations and collaborating with strategic companions.
Industry-specific knowledge from the report additional underscores the shift. In the IT sector, 35% of organizations anticipate greater than half of recent roles to require AI competencies, whereas in manufacturing, this determine stands at 28%.
Training, upskilling
As corporations confront a widening expertise hole, many are ramping up their coaching initiatives.
Half of the organizations surveyed have developed schooling plans to bridge AI ability shortages, and three-quarters say they’re prioritizing investments to upskill their present workforce.
About 56% of respondents have already launched coaching applications targeted on generative AI. Another 19% plan to roll out such initiatives by the tip of 2025.
Türk Telekom affords free web nationwide on World Wi-Fi Day
Türk Telekom, one among Türkiye’s main telecoms and expertise corporations, has supplied free wi-fi web entry throughout all 81 provinces of the nation to mark World Wi-Fi Day on June 20.
As wi-fi connectivity continues to develop in velocity and scope worldwide, additionally it is proving to be an important resolution to key accessibility points. In Türkiye, Türk Telekom has performed a central function on this enlargement, bringing high-speed fiber infrastructure to each province.
The firm is delivering uninterrupted web service in 1000’s of places, together with cultural facilities just like the Atatürk Cultural Center (AKM), museums, stadiums, libraries, public transport, and in-flight environments.
“We are leading Türkiye’s digital transformation with our wide range of innovative digital services, which we proactively update to bring cutting-edge capabilities to our customers,” mentioned Zeynep Özden, deputy common supervisor answerable for advertising and marketing and buyer expertise at Türk Telekom.
As a results of this imaginative and prescient, Özden mentioned, the corporate is equipping the nation with end-to-end fiber web, “connecting lives by providing high-speed access to customers in every corner of all 81 provinces.”
“On the occasion of World Wi-Fi Day, we’re proud to offer our Wi-Fi services free of charge at thousands of locations. With our human-centered approach, we will continue to bring innovative technologies and the riches of the digital world to our customers.”
Source: www.dailysabah.com