Turkcell is investing in artificial intelligence infrastructure across five different levels.
Turkcell CEO Dr. Ali Taha Koç attended the Artificial Intelligence for Good Summit organized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) under the auspices of the United Nations. Speaking in two separate sessions, Koç delivered messages regarding sectoral transformation and made important announcements about Turkcell’s AI-focused infrastructure investments.
Global representatives from the worlds of technology, mobile communications, and artificial intelligence (AI) gathered in Geneva, Switzerland, from July 7-10. Speaking at the AI for Good Summit, organized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), an agency of the United Nations, Turkcell CEO Dr. Ali Taha Koç stated that the AI race is no longer just a race of models. Koç said, “AI is no longer a matter of models, but a matter of infrastructure. Whoever controls the infrastructure controls the future. If the key to a strong digital future lies in AI, then the future of AI lies in a robust and independent infrastructure.”
Koç also shared Turkcell’s investments in the fundamental layers of artificial intelligence, emphasizing the company’s goal of becoming a regional technology provider that will carry Türkiye’s digital future.
Artificial intelligence is built on 5 fundamental pillars
Turkcell CEO Dr. Ali Taha Koç stated , “In the age of artificial intelligence, the determining factor is no longer just the size of the models or processing capacity. It is becoming increasingly critical to build an AI-based infrastructure that will take intelligence out of data centers and into the real world. This infrastructure is built on five fundamental layers: energy, chips and processing power, data centers and the cloud, models, and applications. The network is the main platform that brings all these layers together. Artificial intelligence makes networks more predictive and resilient, from network planning to energy efficiency. Next-generation networks provide the essential infrastructure that takes AI out of data centers and delivers it to people, devices, cities, and industries.”
Our goal is operational national independence in digital infrastructure
Referring to Turkcell’s investments, Koç continued: “Today, one of the most critical fronts in the global power struggle is this: Countries that produce their own energy, process their own data within their own borders, and build their own cloud will be the determinants of tomorrow. The answer to why Turkcell is investing in energy, why it is building data centers, and why it is accelerating its cloud technologies is directly related to this vision. All of our work on energy, data, cloud, models, and applications are parts of a holistic strategy. As Turkcell, our goal is operational independence in digital infrastructure. We are moving forward with an open, balanced, and multi-sourced technology approach, without being dependent on the East or the West, and without compromising our national regulations. This is not just our company’s responsibility, but our national responsibility. We see every infrastructure we build in our country as a strategic signature on our national future.”
What is Turkcell doing in the 5 fundamental layers of artificial intelligence?
ENERGY: Turkcell has increased its total active installed capacity in wind and solar power plants to 99.1 MW with its “more bits, less watts” approach. As one of the first 8 operators in the world to participate in the GSMA Mobile Net Zero initiative, Turkcell aims to be a net-zero company by 2050. The company, which meets all of its electricity consumption from renewable sources, also leads the sector with its sustainability-focused efforts. Holding the highest rating of “A” in the Climate Change and Supplier Engagement ratings of the Carbon Transparency Project (CDP), a leading global environmental reporting platform, the company ranked 1st in its sector in the World’s Best Companies in Sustainable Growth 2026 ranking prepared by TIME and Statista.
CHIP AND PROCESSING POWER: Instead of directly manufacturing chips, Turkcell is focusing on technology partnerships and a multi-source procurement approach that will strengthen access to high processing capacity. It is building the system with an open, balanced, and multi-source approach, without relying on a single technology, ecosystem, or supply model. Thus, it aims to provide the processing power needed in the age of artificial intelligence through a secure, flexible, and scalable infrastructure.
DATA CENTER AND CLOUD: The company’s investments in data center operations reached €598 million as of the first quarter of 2026, while revenue from data center and cloud services, serving over 4,000 companies, rose to 8.5 billion TL. Turkey’s first hyperscale cloud region, to be implemented with Google Cloud, will be one of the most strategic steps in this vision. This collaboration will create a critical threshold in terms of data security and data sovereignty by offering advanced cloud and artificial intelligence capabilities under Turkish regulations.
MODELS: Instead of being tied to a single model, Turkcell adopts an approach of “connecting the right model to the right job.” With AI architectures focused on Turkish language capabilities, it develops solutions that better understand customer questions, read context more accurately, and provide more personalized responses.
APPLICATIONS: Turkcell uses artificial intelligence not only in its technology laboratories but also in its daily business processes. While 25% of code generation in software development processes is carried out with the support of artificial intelligence, it integrates AI into its operations with next-generation chatbots, digital assistants, and customer experience solutions. Teknocan, representing Turkcell’s digitalized face and transformation into a technology company, stands out as a visible example of this vision. By adapting its developed artificial intelligence solutions to the needs of strategic sectors such as public administration, finance, defense, and aerospace, the company aims to be a reliable technology business partner in Turkey’s digital transformation.
Dr. Ali Taha Koç, Turkcell CEO
AI is no longer a matter of models, but a matter of infrastructure. Whoever controls the infrastructure controls the future. If the key to a strong digital future lies in AI, then the future of AI lies in a robust and independent infrastructure. In the age of artificial intelligence, the determining factor is no longer just the size of the models or processing capacity. It is becoming increasingly critical to build an AI-based infrastructure that will take intelligence out of data centers and into the real world. This infrastructure is built on five fundamental layers: energy, chips and processing power, data centers and the cloud, models, and applications. Today, one of the most critical fronts in the global power struggle is this: Countries that produce their own energy, process their own data within their own borders, and build their own cloud will be the determinants of tomorrow.