Türksat General Manager Ahmet Hamdi Atalay stated at the Public Digital Transformation Summit that the e-Government Portal has reached 68 million users and over 9,000 services, adding that Turkey ranks among the top 3 countries globally in this regard. Noting that they have initiated artificial intelligence and data analytics projects in three different ministries by 2025, Atalay announced that the tender for a new 30 MW capacity data centre to be built in Gölbaşı, Ankara, will be held soon.
The Public Digital Transformation Summit began at the BTK Campus with opening speeches by BTK President Prof. Dr. Ömer Abdullah Karagözoğlu, Türksat General Manager Ahmet Hamdi Atalay, and Brother Turkey General Manager Batuhan Demirkök. The summit addressed topics such as "Digital Transformation, National Technology Initiative, Digital Transformation in Public Institutions, Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, Digital Government, and Digital Leaders." Türksat General Manager Ahmet Hamdi Atalay made important statements about the success of the e-Government Portal and Türksat's future projects. Emphasizing that digital transformation is not only a technical process but also a cultural change, Atalay noted that Turkey needs to process its data assets in this area and transform them into high added value. Stating that the e-Government system is the strongest indicator of Turkey's digitalization, Atalay noted that the system successfully provides nearly 9,200 services belonging to over 1,100 institutions. Pointing out that the number of registered users has reached 68 million, Atalay said, “This system, which processes 300,000 transactions instantly and is accessible from all over the world, is one of the most collective success stories of the Republic of Turkey. An extraordinary success story has been written here. We have a seamless and digital structure, far ahead of European examples based on paper and postal systems.”
Stating that Turkey's e-Government system is among the top 10 in the world rankings, Atalay said, “When evaluated in terms of population scale, Turkey is among the top 3 countries globally. In fact, we can say that we are in first place in many cases.”
-“Data is a Gold Mine that Needs to be Processed”
Touching upon the enormous volume of data produced in public institutions, Atalay announced that Türksat is carrying out a total of 229 active projects in all 16 ministries. Stating that data needs to be made meaningful so that it doesn't become a burden on its own, Atalay said, “We must process this data mine we are sitting on and bring it to the level of knowledge and wisdom. As of 2025, we have launched data analytics and artificial intelligence applications in three different ministries. With our strong artificial intelligence team, we will make this data valuable for the country's economy.”
-“Cyber Security Should Be Managed Based on Risk, Not Calamity”
Noting that cyber threats are the biggest risk to digitalization, Atalay emphasized that cyber security is a process that should be managed "before calamity strikes." Stating that security is not about imprisoning data, Atalay said, “The skill is to ensure privacy and integrity by making access possible. We attach great importance to alternative education methods outside of formal education and the BTK Academy in order to meet our need for trained human resources in the sector.”
-Türksat Announces New AI-Powered Data Centre
Reminding that Türksat operates with the dynamism of a commercial joint-stock company, Atalay announced the groundbreaking of one of Turkey's largest data centres. Stating that the tender process for the 30 MWA data centre, to be built in Gölbaşı, will be completed shortly, Atalay said, “This center, which will be equipped with CPU and GPU-based servers, will provide high-standard services to the artificial intelligence applications of the public sector and large-scale companies. This facility, which is planned to be operational in approximately two years, will take Turkey's digital infrastructure power to the next level.” BTK President Prof. Dr. Ömer Abdullah Karagözoğlu emphasized the importance of domestic and national technology production for digital sovereignty. Sharing a past experience in municipal administration to draw attention to the issue of self-sufficiency in technology, Karagözoğlu explained that a vulnerability in a payment system that had been tested for months was detected by citizens in the field within 40 minutes. Karagözoğlu said, "If you create a system yourself, you can take precautions against vulnerabilities very quickly. But if you are dependent on others, that's where the problems begin. The more we can use our own technology, the stronger we will be."
- “Artificial Intelligence Has Become a Complementary Element”
Stating that artificial intelligence technologies are the most important supporter of digital transformation, Karagözoğlu noted that this technology touches every aspect of life, from imaging analyses in healthcare to decision support systems in justice services. Karagözoğlu stated that digitalization has fundamentally changed the way public services are delivered and managed, and offers lasting gains to development goals. Touching upon the digitalization process in agriculture, Karagözoğlu reminded that the "resin houses" method used in the past for pest detection in apple orchards has now been replaced by 5G, satellites, and sensor data. Stating that the vision of healthy agriculture and "pesticide-free agriculture" will be achieved with digital data, Karagözoğlu emphasized that digital development should be combined with traditional experiences to transform it into a benefit for society.
-“We Continue to Protect Our Cyber Homeland 24/7”
Stating that the National Technology Initiative, led by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, is shaping the digital future, Karagözoğlu said that cybersecurity is the foundation of this vision. Karagözoğlu noted that digital borders are protected by the National Cyber Incident Response Centre (USOM) and SOME teams within the BTK (Information and Communication Technologies Authority), and said, "We continue to prioritize strengthening our digital sovereignty by supporting domestic and national solutions in every field, from electronic communications to data ecosystems."
