Collaboration is essential to capitalise on opportunities in AI

TAGES CEO Leyla Arsan shared her article, entitled ‘Collaboration is essential to capitalise on opportunities in AI, in the TRAngels newsletter on March 30, 2026 issue 3.

The developments taking place within our country’s start-up ecosystem regarding artificial intelligence—including the entrepreneurs working in this field, the investments made, and the support provided—are of immense value. However, artificial intelligence is no longer merely a field of technological innovation; it has become a strategic issue that influences global power balances. For this reason, it does not seem feasible for either a single entrepreneur or a single country to steer this transformation alone. In such a scenario, despite our highly talented entrepreneurs and ecosystem, we are unable to progress at the desired pace in innovation. Current investments and support are also not yet at a sufficient level. This is because innovation requires not just a local mindset, but the ability to operate on a global scale.

I believe the concept of ‘glocal’ is now outdated. The most crucial element remaining at the local level is competent entrepreneurs and visionary ecosystem partners who can support them through global collaborations. We may not be able to directly influence globally monopolised digital infrastructures like Amazon in the short term; however, we can pave the way for our entrepreneurs capable of making a significant leap forward in innovation.

Today, many visionary companies are redesigning their business processes with the aim of becoming ‘AI-driven companies’. AI entrepreneurs are also now targeting innovation across different sectors, fields of expertise and industries through a multidisciplinary approach. However, strategic and actionable steps must be taken to accelerate this momentum. The European Union has provided a significant platform for collaboration in this field since 2003. Programmes such as Horizon Europe and Digital Europe have played a major role in enabling our participation in research and innovation projects and in achieving significant gains in these areas. However, for public and private sectors, investors and ecosystem stakeholders to work together, we need to utilise these programmes more effectively in a way that also encompasses our entrepreneurs.

As Turkey, we have not managed to integrate sufficiently into the European Digital Single Market framework—established by Europe to preserve its capital accumulation as a single economic power and to limit the influence of major economic powers such as China and the US in the European market—at the necessary level and in a timely manner. Consequently, whilst we are often assessed in the same category as the US and China, we frequently remain merely in the position of a consumer. Of course, there have been some positive developments. Recently, steps have been taken towards participation in the ‘Made in Europe’ approach, which now includes not only manufacturers but also artificial intelligence developers. However, this alone is not sufficient. We need an ecosystem capable of generating solutions beyond monopolistic approaches, one that does not prioritise short-term revenues over the strategic value to be created in the long term. Turkey must elevate its relationship with Digital Europe to a stronger level and clearly strengthen its position in this field.

Artificial intelligence has now become a critical issue for Turkey. This is because our exclusion from the EU AI Act, coupled with the fact that a fully compatible framework regarding data sharing and assurance mechanisms with the European Union has not yet been established, is leading to Turkey being excluded from certain projects under both Digital Europe and Horizon Europe. Today, innovation across numerous areas—including ethics, education, manufacturing, energy, the circular economy, AI factories, quantum technologies, high-performance computing, democracy and social inclusion—is now taking shape around the EU AI Act.

Moreover, this field is not limited to the AI Act alone. Complementary regulations such as the EU Governance Act and the EU Interoperability Act have also come into force, and institutions across Europe are conducting their work within this legislative framework. For this reason, Turkey’s inclusion in the EU AI Act is of paramount importance not only in terms of regulatory compliance but also regarding access to innovation networks, establishing project partnerships and enhancing global competitiveness.

Turkey is still viewed as a market situated outside the European Union. To overcome this, the necessary steps must be taken swiftly, action must be taken with the aim of stronger integration with the EU, and the country’s resources must be utilised in a way that generates higher added value. Only then can we achieve global competitiveness and strengthen our economy.

We at TAGES RDI have been working towards this goal for 24 years. However, it is clear that stronger partnerships and a more resolute political will are needed going forward.

In my next article, I will examine the strategies being pursued and the projects being carried out in the field of artificial intelligence within the European Union and discuss the areas in which Turkey could participate to make faster and more significant progress in innovation.

The full version of the newsletter can be accessed by: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/yapay-zeka-ekseninde-d%25C3%25B6n%25C3%25BC%25C5%259F%25C3%25BCm-trangels-hahqf/