Sibel Zorlu, President of The Board of the Aegean Industry and Business Association (ESİAD), stated that the electric vehicle factory planned to be established by the Chinese BYD company in Manisa will be an important milestone in İzmir's artificial intelligence roadmap. Zorlu emphasized that regional transformation should accelerate with applications based on artificial intelligence in areas such as sustainable mobility, health tourism and logistics.
Speaking at the Artificial Intelligence Summit with the theme “Transforming Power” organized in İzmir in cooperation with ESİAD and Aegean Young Business Association (EGİAD), Zorlu expressed that artificial intelligence is not only a technological development, but also a transformation that affects all economic and social areas. “The competitiveness of companies investing in this field worldwide is rapidly increasing. As İzmir, we should take our place in this race,” Zorlu stated, adding that work has been initiated to create an artificial intelligence network in the city.
Critical threshold for mobility technologies
Zorlu stated that the BYD production facility to be established in Manisa offers an important opportunity not only for the industry but also for the development of artificial intelligence-based technologies. Reminding that BYD will establish a facility with an annual capacity of 150,000 vehicles, as well as an R&D center focusing on sustainable mobility, Zorlu stated: “There will be a significant knowledge and production potential around İzmir in areas such as battery technologies, autonomous systems and electric vehicle infrastructure. It should be aimed to meet the needs of these investments from our region.”
Stating that İzmir is also in a strong position in artificial intelligence-supported diagnosis, treatment and patient tracking systems, Zorlu noted that the city's hospital infrastructure and academic accumulation offer a fertile ground for artificial intelligence applications in health. She stated that the development of systems that will create high added value in terms of health tourism can make İzmir an international center of attraction in this field.
Logistics and agriculture are also at the forefront of transformation
Zorlu stated that İzmir's capabilities in logistics provide a great advantage in terms of autonomous systems that can be implemented in ports. She noted that the implementation of the solutions developed by start-ups in this field in İzmir ports will concretize the commercial value of artificial intelligence. She also pointed out that artificial intelligence applications that increase productivity and reduce water use in agriculture should be made widespread.
Stating that Artificial Intelligence Engineering departments have been opened at universities in the city and that there is a great interest in this field among young entrepreneurs, Zorlu stated that İzmir can gain a strong place in the artificial intelligence ecosystem through collaborations with investment funds and organized industrial zones. “This transformation can also be a lever to reverse the outward brain drain from the city,” she added.
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