The Complete Guide to Using AI in the Government Industry in Turkey in 2025

By 2025 AI is front and center in Turkey's public-sector playbook: the Turkey National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (2021–2025) frames AI as a national priority to boost economic output, harden public services and manage risks, with headline targets including a 5% contribution to GDP and 50,000 AI jobs alongside new public-sector hires and 10,000 graduate-level diploma holders (Turkey National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (2021–2025)).

The plan doubles down on quality data, shared infrastructure and testing sandboxes - via a Public Data Space and sectoral co-creation labs - to let ministries iterate responsibly, from healthcare to tax enforcement (Public Sector Data Space and DTO progress in Türkiye).

For public servants and contractors who need practical, workplace-ready skills, short, applied courses such as the Nucamp AI Essentials for Work bootcamp map directly onto the strategy's emphasis on workforce capacity and ethical, operational AI adoption; the result is an agenda that's as much about people and governance as about models and servers.

Bootcamp	Length	Early bird cost	Syllabus
AI Essentials for Work	15 Weeks	$3,582	Nucamp AI Essentials for Work syllabus

“This should not be perceived as a new strategy, but rather as a refinement of the previous year's planning,” he emphasises.

In 2025 Turkey sits squarely in a transitional regulatory patchwork: Ankara has signalled intent with a concise AI Bill presented to Parliament (June 25, 2024) and a set of broad principles - safety, transparency, fairness and accountability - but much of the detail (risk categories, audit rules, and a dedicated regulator) is still to be written, leaving operators to lean on KVKK guidance and adjacent laws for now; at the same time, the EU's comprehensive AI Act casts an extraterritorial shadow that could reach Turkish providers selling into Europe, with phased obligations (and prohibitions) that begin to bite in 2025 and carry fines large enough to affect boardroom decisions (EU AI Act timeline, obligations and penalties affecting Turkish companies).

The Turkish proposal is notably shorter than the EU text and less prescriptive - yet it already envisages turnover‑based sanctions (multi‑million TRY fines or percentage-of-revenue penalties) that mirror the EU approach and create real commercial urgency: compliance isn't just good practice, it's a financial imperative (Turkey draft AI bill overview and proposed fines).

The upshot for public agencies and vendors working with government is practical: treat 2025 as a compliance sprint - inventory systems, document data trails under KVKK, and prepare for both domestic audits and possible EU-style due diligence - because the regulatory tide will be swift enough to reshape procurement and vendor risk profiles.

One vivid takeaway: in this phase, a single non-compliant AI deployment can trigger penalties measured in millions and a forced operational rethink overnight.

Item	Key dates / penalties (from research)
EU AI Act	Entered into force 1 Aug 2024; prohibitions effective 2 Feb 2025; further obligations from 2 Aug 2025; fines up to €35M or 7% global turnover.
Turkey AI Bill (status)	Bill presented to Parliament 25 Jun 2024; shorter and less detailed than EU Act; proposes fines up to TRY 35M or 7% of annual revenue for certain violations.
Current Turkish enforcement	Reliance on KVKK guidance and existing laws (consumer, e‑commerce, criminal code, Internet Law No.5651) while AI‑specific rules and regulator roles are finalised.

Turkey's AI policy is anchored in the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (NAIS 2021–2025) and the subsequent 2024–2025 Action Plan, which together set a pragmatic, implementation‑focused agenda: six strategic priorities that range from training 50,000 AI specialists and boosting R&D and start‑ups, to expanding secure access to quality data and technical infrastructure, accelerating socioeconomic adaptation through regulation, strengthening international cooperation, and driving structural and workforce transformation; these measures are coordinated by the Digital Transformation Office and the Ministry of Industry and Technology and implemented through governance bodies such as a National AI Strategy Board, sectoral co‑creation labs at TÜBİTAK and a Public AI Ecosystem designed to provide shared sandboxes and a “Public Data Space” for secure data sharing (Turkey National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (2021–2025)).

Recent updates sharpen that operational focus - an action plan lists concrete steps like developing Turkish large‑language models, a “Trusted AI Seal” and audit tools, national data inventories and a Central Public Data Area to open curated public datasets to researchers and vendors - while institutional shifts in 2025 (notably the reassignment of DTO responsibilities under a presidential decree) show the policy is evolving as fast as the technology it governs (Artificial Intelligence 2024–2025 Action Plan; 2025 institutional and sectoral updates).

The bottom line for government implementers: policy is less about a single law and more about building interoperable data platforms, governance playbooks and certification paths so public agencies can pilot, audit and scale trustworthy AI - think of it as a live laboratory where certification, data hygiene and workforce pipelines must all line up before any large public rollout.

Policy priority	Focus
1. Training & employment	Increase AI experts and public‑sector hires
2. Research, entrepreneurship & innovation	Support R&D, VC, clusters and commercialization
3. Data & infrastructure	Public Data Space, Open Data Portal, computing capacity
4. Socioeconomic adaptation	Regulatory sandboxes, legal reviews, impact assessments
5. International cooperation	Cross‑border projects and standards alignment
6. Structural & labour transformation	AI maturity model, project management guides, certification

Turkey's AI program is a hands-on delivery plan built around the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (NAIS 2021–2025): it combines workforce targets (50,000 AI specialists and 10,000 graduate‑level diploma holders), shared technical infrastructure and practical testbeds so public agencies can move from pilots to production with controls in place (Turkey National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (NAIS 2021–2025) - Digital Watch).

Central pieces include a “Public AI Platform” offered as a service to speed pre‑implementation preparation and experience transfer, a Central Public Data Space/Open Data Portal for curated, anonymised datasets, and Sectoral Co‑Creation Laboratories at TÜBİTAK to help ministries define problems, share data and test multi‑stakeholder applications; the programme even envisages a “Trustworthy AI Seal” and audit tools to raise procurement standards.

The program also promotes domestic alternatives: for example, the Havelsan‑built MAIN enterprise AI platform will be used in public procurement to summarise indexed documents, run smart search and act as a virtual assistant on on‑premises servers to limit data leakage (MAIN enterprise AI platform in public procurement - Anadolu Agency).

The result is a pragmatic, ecosystem‑first approach - shared sandboxes, certification paths and training pipelines aim to make large public rollouts technically feasible and audit‑ready rather than risky one‑off experiments.

Program element	Purpose / note
Public AI Platform	Service to facilitate pre‑implementation preparation and experience transfer (NAIS)
Public Data Space / Open Data Portal	Secure, anonymised datasets for public‑sector projects (NAIS)
Sectoral Co‑Creation Laboratories (TÜBİTAK)	Multi‑stakeholder labs for problem definition, data sharing and testing (NAIS)
Trustworthy AI Seal & audit tools	Certification and audit mechanisms to encourage reference models (NAIS)
MAIN (Havelsan)	Homegrown enterprise NLP platform for procurement authority, on‑premises to deter data leakage (Anadolu Agency)
Workforce targets	50,000 AI jobs and 10,000 graduate‑level diplomas by 2025 (NAIS)

Risk classification in Turkey remains a work in progress in 2025, so public agencies should treat risk management as a front‑loaded exercise: there is no official, granular risk taxonomy yet, the National AI Strategy nudges standardisation and certification, and Parliament has a short AI Bill that sets high‑level principles (safety, transparency, equality, accountability, privacy) but leaves many implementation details open - meaning ministries must translate principles into pragmatic classes (e.g., “data‑sensitive,” “mission‑critical,” “public‑facing”) now, not later.

Practically that means inventory every model, map data flows to KVKK guidance and existing statutes (consumer, criminal and Internet laws), and flag uses that could trigger the draft law's tough, turnover‑based sanctions: the Bill contemplates penalties up to TL 35M or 7% of global turnover for prohibited AI applications, with lower tiers for other breaches.

Prohibited or high‑risk practices are therefore best treated conservatively - avoid ambiguous deployments that generate misinformation, unfair profiling or uncontrolled data exports - and document audits, consent and mitigation steps so vendors and agencies can demonstrate due diligence.

One concrete reminder: tools that look useful in procurement (for example, a procurement‑fraud detector) can become high‑risk if training data or vendor controls are weak, so pair any rollout with an evidence file and an internal risk label from day one (see the White & Case Turkey tracker for the legal landscape and a practical example on procurement fraud detection in government use cases).

Area	2025 status / notes (from research)
Official risk classification	None yet; NAIS promotes standardisation and certification but no formal risk classes published.
Proposed penalties (AI Bill)	Up to TL 35M or 7% global turnover for prohibited AI; TL 15M or 3% for noncompliance; TL 7.5M or 1.5% for false information.
Enforcement / compliance levers	KVKK guidelines, Law No.6698 and other sector laws (consumer, criminal, Internet Law No.5651), existing regulators; possible future AI regulator not yet designated.

Data governance for government AI in Turkey hinges on pragmatic KVKK compliance: public agencies must treat the KVKK's registration and inventory obligations (VERBİS) and robust record‑keeping as operational first steps, because failure to register or document processing can attract administrative fines (the KVKK's VERBİS regime carries penalties up to TRY 1,000,000) and complicate cross‑border projects; see the practical rundown on Turkish KVKK obligations and how they differ from the GDPR (KVKK registration, records, and controller duties - Erdem & Erdem analysis).

Even where KVKK lacks explicit DPIA rules, EU and supervisory guidance make clear that any AI deployment likely to produce high risks - profiling, automated decisions with legal effect, large‑scale sensitive data or systematic monitoring - requires a formal impact assessment before deployment, so ministries should adopt GDPR‑style DPIA practices as a matter of routine (European Commission guidance on when a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) is required).

Practically, that means map data flows, minimise and pseudonymise inputs, keep an auditable evidence file for each model, and treat the DPIA as a living document: a single untracked dataset in a model build can convert a useful pilot into a compliance headache overnight.

Topic	KVKK (Turkey)	GDPR (EU)
Controller registry	VERBİS registration required for many controllers; fines for non‑registration (TRY 20k–1M)	No public registry; controllers keep Article 30 records to show APAs on request
Data Protection Officer	Not explicitly mandatory in KVKK	Mandatory for many public bodies and large‑scale processors
DPIA	No specific DPIA rule in KVKK (good practice recommended)	Mandatory for processing likely to result in high risk (Article 35)
Fines / liability	Administrative fines up to TRY 1,000,000 (KVKK limits)	Fines up to EUR 20M or 4% global turnover

“In the said texts prepared for the purpose of fulfilling the obligation of clarification by the data controllers, the statements of the data controllers for compliance with the GDPR would not abolish their obligations according to Personal Data Protection Law No. 6698, and along with the references to the provisions of the GDPR, the policies and the rules stated in the said clarification texts must first be in compliance with Personal Data Protection Law No. 6698.”

Technology decisions are the backbone of trustworthy public AI in Türkiye: agencies must align data‑residency rules with operational design, choosing between on‑premises, local cloud or hybrid deployments so that sensitive citizen data stays discoverable, auditable and under KVKK‑friendly controls - see the practical Q&A in the guide below for category‑specific guidance.

At the same time, İstanbul, Bursa, Ankara and Gaziantep are rapidly expanding secure, scalable data‑centre capacity and cloud services that make low‑latency, compliant hosting realistic for large public projects; the Pendc facility in Bursa, for example, offers SME‑tailored cloud and co‑location services that signal how regional centres can support municipality and sectoral pilots (Türkiye data center and cloud infrastructure investments (2025) - PAturkey).

Practically this means pairing model registries and evidence files with infrastructure choices (local providers, on‑premises enclaves, or certified hybrid clouds) and embedding encryption, role‑based access and secure APIs from day one - because a single untracked dataset can turn a useful pilot into a compliance and security incident overnight.

For quick vendor mapping, a current Turkey cloud providers list - DataCenterMap helps procurement teams shortlist local partners that reduce cross‑border risk.

Data residency guidance for Turkey (2025) - Practical Q&A

Item	Key fact (from research)
Data residency guidance	Structured Q&A on residency and storage requirements (Data Residency in Turkey for 2025)
Major data‑centre hubs	İstanbul (major hub), Bursa (Pendc), Ankara, Gaziantep - expanding secure infrastructure
Cloud providers (summary)	11 providers listed nationally; 8 in İstanbul (source: DataCenterMap)

Turkey's push to embed AI into public services turns procurement into a frontline policy lever: the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (NAIS) launched by Presidential Circular No.

2021/18 drives localisation and “AI hub” creation while signalling that compliant suppliers will enjoy concrete advantages, and ministries are already being nudged to favour certified solutions in tenders (National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (NAIS) - Presidential Circular No. 2021/18).

At the same time, procurement law fundamentals - notably Public Procurement Law No. 4734 and the EKAP e‑platform that publishes tender notices and documentation - mean transparency, clear qualification rules and procedural routes (open, restricted, negotiated) will shape how AI deals are won and managed (Public Procurement Law No. 4734 and EKAP procurement guidance for Turkey).

Regulators and policymakers are sweetening compliance: tax breaks, procurement preferences and fast‑track approvals for certified AI management systems and audited solutions make certification commercially valuable, not just ethical window‑dressing (Tax incentives and procurement preferences for certified AI systems in Turkey - Nemko Digital).

The practical takeaway for vendors and contracting teams: register capabilities against the NAIS playbook, be visible on EKAP, bake audit evidence and certification into bids, and treat procurement as a workforce and ecosystem builder that can scale trusted AI across municipalities and ministries - because in Türkiye, procurement rules and incentives now determine who gets to run the next generation of public services.

Item	Key point
NAIS	Presidential Circular No.2021/18 (National AI Strategy 2021–2025) - drives localisation and AI hubs
Procurement framework	Public Procurement Law No.4734; EKAP publishes tender notices and supports transparent procedures
Compliance incentives	Tax advantages, procurement preferences and fast‑track approvals for certified AI systems

“These contracts represent the start of a new era for local government procurement. The potential for AI to transform the delivery of public services is enormous. These contracts, now available nationwide through Civic Marketplace, equip agencies with the tools for transformation and empower them to embrace a new era of innovation.”

Make 2025 deployments audit‑ready from day one: start by cataloguing every model and dataset in a searchable model registry, register controllers and large‑scale processing with VERBİS where required and treat GDPR‑style DPIAs as mandatory for profiling or mission‑critical use - Turkey's legal backdrop and DP Law obligations mean documentation is defence as much as design (Chambers - Turkey AI legal framework practice guide).

Classify systems up front (data‑sensitive, mission‑critical, public‑facing), lock down data residency and hosting choices (on‑prem, certified local cloud or hybrid) and embed encryption, RBAC and secure APIs so that a single untracked dataset can't trigger an operational freeze.

Contract clauses must insist on KVKK compliance, bias testing, IP and output ownership, and auditable evidence files; procurement teams should align bids with NAIS priorities like the Public Data Space and Central Public Data Area to gain fast‑track and certification advantages (Turkey National AI Strategy and Public Data Space - NAIS 2021–2025).

Finally, adopt a risk‑based governance loop - document, monitor, certify (Trusted AI Seal trials are under way) and train staff - because in Türkiye the path to scaling government AI runs through solid records, technical controls and visible certification, not just promising pilots (Nemko practical compliance checklist for AI regulation in Turkey).

Step	Action / Why
Inventory & registry	Model registry + VERBİS where applicable = auditable trail
Risk & DPIA	Classify systems; run DPIAs for profiling/high‑risk uses
Infrastructure & residency	Choose on‑prem/local cloud; embed encryption and RBAC
Procurement & contracts	KVKK clauses, bias testing, IP, audit rights and certification
Certification & training	Pursue Trustworthy AI Seal, maintain evidence files, upskill staff

The future of AI in Türkiye's public sector looks decidedly pragmatic: NAIS's push for a Public Data Space, shared sandboxes and a Trustworthy AI Seal sets a clear route from pilot to production, while legal and supervisory work - summarised in the Chambers practice guide - shows that governance, documentation and KVKK alignment will determine which projects scale and which stall (Turkey National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (NAIS 2021–2025); Chambers - Artificial Intelligence 2025: Turkey).

Practically, that means three parallel bets for government teams: lock down data residency and VERBİS registration; bake DPIAs, bias testing and auditable evidence files into every procurement; and invest in human skills so operations can run and police AI responsibly - a single untracked dataset or non‑compliant deployment can cost millions and freeze services overnight.

For public servants and contractors who need concrete, workplace-ready skills, short applied courses like the Nucamp AI Essentials for Work bootcamp map directly onto these needs, teaching promptcraft, tool use and pragmatic governance workflows to make pilots audit-ready (Nucamp AI Essentials for Work bootcamp (15 weeks)).

The “so what?” is simple: Türkiye has the strategy and the market momentum - the next 12–24 months will decide which agencies turn policy into durable, certifiable services and which ones are left rewriting post‑incident playbooks.

Next step	Resource
Policy & shared infrastructure	Turkey National AI Strategy (NAIS 2021–2025)
Legal & compliance guidance	Chambers - Artificial Intelligence 2025: Turkey
Practical workforce training	Nucamp AI Essentials for Work bootcamp (15 weeks)