GITEX VP calls Türkiye 'perfect sandbox' for AI expansion

Bilal Alrais, vice president of the major technology event GITEX, has described Türkiye as a "perfect sandbox" for artificial intelligence companies seeking to expand globally, citing the country's robust engineering talent, substantial government backing and extensive network of technology parks that provide infrastructure for emerging technologies.

Speaking to Anadolu on the sidelines of the two-day event hosted by Türkiye's Investment and Finance Office alongside the Industry and Technology Ministry on Sept. 9-10, Alrais said the organizers were impressed by the strong turnout from banks and manufacturing firms across the country. "The level of exposure we've been getting from across Türkiye and also from as far as South Africa and Kenya is actually very reassuring," he said, noting that representatives from more than 70 countries attended the exhibition, which listed Anadolu as its global communications partner. He added: "It's a perfect sandbox for companies to be able to do well using AI and scale globally."

International visitors target Turkish innovators

Alrais pointed out that the presence of 120 startups at the event reflects only part of the ecosystem, as Türkiye hosts one of the world's largest concentrations of technoparks with 10 or 11 different parks represented at the exhibition. International visitors traveled specifically to meet innovators from Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir, he added, explaining that the country's numerous R&D centers generate significant excitement about new technologies emerging from Turkish engineers and research institutions.

Data center demand surges with AI growth

Looking ahead, Alrais said GITEX's Abu Dhabi edition will host the world's largest artificial intelligence event in October, with the organization also announcing expansion plans for Latin America, Italy and Serbia. He explained that industry focus on AI accelerated dramatically following the COVID-19 pandemic and the launch of ChatGPT, noting that the sector now prioritizes data center infrastructure to support computational demands. "You can't have AI without a data center," Alrais said, adding that this rapid shift creates pressing new challenges in energy management and sustainable operations that the industry must address immediately.