Google updates its roadmap for Turkey

Google has outlined an updated roadmap for Turkey, emphasizing the nation's potential to become a regional leader in public innovation driven by artificial intelligence. The "AI Tomorrow Summit 2026" in Ankara served as the platform for these announcements, which aim to scale AI for next-generation economic value and public service transformation.

Tolga Sobacı, Google Turkey's Director of Public Relations and Policy, stated that Turkey is uniquely positioned to lead the global AI wave due to its strong digital infrastructure and dynamic talent pool. He highlighted the upcoming local Google Cloud region as a foundational element for this digital future. A report by PwC, presented at the summit, projects that early adoption of AI in Turkey's public sector could yield a "triple AI return" for the economy by 2035. This includes a potential reduction in the budget deficit by up to 12%, a productivity increase in public administration by up to 3%, and growth in GDP and household income by 3% and 2% respectively.

Further underscoring its commitment, Google.org announced a new $2 million grant to support two priority projects focused on societal benefit. The first project will enhance earthquake monitoring capabilities for the Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute. With Google Cloud credits, the project aims to automate the national seismic network using a modular AI algorithm, thereby increasing the speed and accuracy of earthquake monitoring and early warning systems.

The second project targets early diagnosis in healthcare, specifically focusing on neurocognitive disorders like Alzheimer's. Supported by the AI Ecosystem Association's "Türk-Ses" project, this initiative will develop an open-source AI platform that analyzes voice recordings. The goal is to enable early detection and risk assessment of conditions such as Alzheimer's, facilitating timely medical intervention.

Since 2016, Google.org has provided a total of $69 million in support to non-profit organizations in Turkey, with this latest funding further solidifying the company's investment in the country's technological and societal advancement.