Turkey-Germany AI conference attracts attention

BERLIN

The Turkey-Germany artificial intelligence conference has received applications above its capacity, the German minister for economic affairs and energy said on Thursday.

Academy and industry circles showed interest in the conference, Peter Altmaier told a meeting with Turkey’s Industry and Technology Minister Mustafa Varank during the conference in Berlin.

Altmaier noted that the conference will lay the cornerstone for the artificial intelligence and digitalization between the two countries.

Varank underlined that the two countries, which have historical relations, should make an effort to raise relations to the top level.

Artificial intelligence and digitalization will be the basic dynamics of production and industry in the coming era, the Turkish official said.

Both ministers underlined that trade volume and cooperation on the artificial intelligence and digitalization between the two countries should be increased.

Germany to invest $3.3B in artificial intelligence

Later addressing the opening speech of the conference, Altmaier said: "We are determined to intensify bilateral relations and create new propelling forces for economic growth."

Turkey and Germany have a century old friendship, and millions of people benefit this friendship, he said.

Altmaier said the artificial intelligence technology would change fundamentals of production, work and lifestyle of humanity.

"This will be the biggest innovation since the industrial revolution probably," he stressed.

Altmaier said Germany, which has the oldest and biggest artificial intelligence research center, decided to invest €3 billion ($3.3 billion) in it till 2025.

"We know that this kind of investment should be made by the private sector. The U.S. companies such as Microsoft, Apple, Google and Amazon make hundreds of billions of investment in this area.

"We want to show that this kind of investment could be made both in Turkish and German economies. Because these economies have similar power."

The one-day conference is setting the scene to explore the changing opportunities on the artificial intelligence technology between the two countries.

The second edition of the conference is expected to be hosted by Turkey.

* Writing by Gokhan Ergocun and Tuba Sahin