The opening programme of the AI’NTEP – Artificial Intelligence Festival, organised by Hasan Kalyoncu University (HKU) in cooperation with OSB Technopark and Türkiye İş Bankası – Artificial Intelligence Factory under the motto “Türkiye’s Most Productive Festival”, and launched with the aim of bringing together relevant sector leaders, experts, academics, students, software developers, practitioners and everyone interested in or using artificial intelligence, was held with strong participation at the HKU Congress and Culture Centre. The opening programme was attended by Gaziantep Deputy Governor Murat Akyüz, Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality Acting Mayor Halil Uğur, HKU Rector Prof. Dr. Türkay Dereli, Gaziantep Chamber of Commerce President Tuncay Yıldırım, Gaziantep Chamber of Industry President Adnan Ünverdi, protocol members, business people, executives, experts, teaching staff and students.
Stating at the opening of the programme that artificial intelligence today means far more than making human life easier, improving business processes and opening the door to new innovations, HKU Rector Prof. Dr. Türkay Dereli said: “We believe that humankind is intelligent enough to find ways to remain ‘human’ even when it is kneaded, blended and even shaken by artificial intelligence technologies. However, the stage of experimenting with artificial intelligence must now be passed as soon as possible, and strategies must be determined and implemented. This applies to institutions as well. As HKU, we have determined our strategy. Acting with the goal of being a university of applied research that rebuilds the future of individuals, industry, the region and society with its innovations, HKU, in full integration with the business world, puts personalised education practices to the fore, trains innovative entrepreneurs, and carries out pioneering applied research that guides the business world. Within the framework of this strategy, as HKU, we are determined to use the power of artificial intelligence in education, teaching and research processes. As an indicator and first step of this determination, we will also present, within the scope of this festival, our ‘Generative AI-Based Smart Education Assistant’ application, which we have developed as a first in Türkiye. Thanks to this generative AI application, which we are putting into service at our university and which is integrated with our university’s ‘student information/management system’, our students will be able to access academic course materials easily, make course-based queries and interact, and increase the speed and quality of their learning. While this festival, which we are organising together, provides a powerful environment for discovering the latest AI trends, meeting sector leaders and making the most of career and entrepreneurship opportunities in this field, it will also create new channels and networks, through its AI hackathon/marathon and similar activities, for those who want to shape the future of artificial intelligence itself.”
Gaziantep Chamber of Commerce President Tuncay Yıldırım said: “Many new doors are opening for us in the age of artificial intelligence. Behind these doors lie great opportunities in science, industry, health, education and many other fields. I hope the AI’NTEP – Artificial Intelligence Festival will be an important starting point that helps us use these doors correctly and benefit from these technologies in the best way. Universities are the future of a bright Türkiye and the most fundamental cornerstone of our country’s development. I would like to thank Prof. Dr. Türkay Dereli for hosting us here today, as well as OSB Technopark and Türkiye İş Bankası – Artificial Intelligence Factory, which contributed to the preparation of the festival, and the participants.”
Expressing that the most important feature distinguishing humans from artificial intelligence is emotion, and voicing the excitement and happiness he felt in front of the young people, Gaziantep Chamber of Industry President Adnan Ünverdi said: “You are our hope, our tomorrow. You are the people who will carry this country into the future. Gaziantep is a city that stands out with its industry and is Türkiye’s 6th largest economy. I believe that, together with you, our young people, we will strive to find ‘how can we apply artificial intelligence to our industry?’ For this reason, your efforts, our young people, to embrace this technology and integrate it into industry will contribute to Türkiye’s economic growth.”
Stating that the AI’NTEP Festival would be very useful and productive, Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality Acting Mayor Halil Uğur said: “All of the parks we have built in Gaziantep are controlled by artificial intelligence. AI systems can notify us of a lost child, a suspicious package or the situation during a fight. At Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality, our transportation system, which is the only one of its kind in Türkiye and is cited as an example worldwide, and all our junctions are controlled by artificial intelligence, so traffic density is monitored. I believe that our Gazi city will be known as a city of science and will also be one of Türkiye’s leading cities in artificial intelligence work.”
Sharing the story of his introduction to artificial intelligence and stating that artificial intelligence has begun to have an impact in almost every area of our lives, Gaziantep Deputy Governor Murat Akyüz said: “By the end of this two-day AI’NTEP Festival, we will have discovered different aspects of artificial intelligence, learned about its various fields of application and learned together how the future will be shaped.”
At the AI’NTEP Artificial Intelligence Festival (www.aintep.co), which consists of three main elements, namely a hackathon marathon, conference series and fair activities, and will last two days, panels will be held on AI in healthcare, education, agriculture and the finance sector, sustainability and AI, and smart cities and AI; a 48-hour hackathon marathon aimed at developing innovative AI-based projects will take place; demonstrations will be held to discover innovations in the world of artificial intelligence and build strategic business relationships; and the latest AI solutions and products will be exhibited.
