Türkiye is moving to make basic artificial intelligence literacy training mandatory for public employees to ensure they are using AI technologies safely and effectively, according to a report on Wednesday.
Public employees will be provided with basic AI literacy training through e-learning in alignment with the goals outlined in the new "Türkiye Artificial Intelligence Action Plan" for the 2026-2030 period, according to information obtained by Anadolu Agency (AA).
Short practical application modules tailored to employees' roles and responsibilities will also be offered. These trainings will be made mandatory via the human resource systems of public institutions.
Not only will the completion of the training be monitored, but employees' performance levels in the trainings will also be regularly tracked.
The AI literacy programs, which include public employees among their target audience, will cover topics such as fundamental AI concepts, secure use of generative AI tools, protection of personal data, awareness against misinformation and "deepfake" content, and ethical usage principles.
Those who complete the training will receive level-based micro-certificates indicating the basic competencies they have acquired, assessed through a measurement and evaluation process.
The transformation in public institutions will be conducted within a holistic governance and security framework using the "Identify-Pilot-Scale" cycle, which includes identifying use areas, testing applications in the field and disseminating successful projects.
To manage this transformation, senior executives responsible for this field will be appointed within institutions, reporting to the head or a designated unit manager.
These executives will manage the portfolio of AI projects and applications within their institution and regularly report on the progress of initiatives.
Once the appointments are completed, all institutions will be required to prepare a three-year "AI road map" and set annual goals within 12 weeks.
For pilot projects and initial scaled deployments, small-to-medium scale acquisitions will be prioritized. Public procurement processes for AI projects will require participating ventures to possess a techno-entrepreneurship certificate.
Each ministry will systematically review areas that could benefit from AI. Rapid pilot implementations will be initiated in high-potential areas, and projects exceeding predetermined success thresholds will be scaled within six to 12 months.
Within the framework of the plan, at least 30 AI pilots are targeted to start in total across 10 or more ministries, with at least two waves of pilots during the first 12 months.
An end-to-end "pilot-to-scale pathway" will be established for at least 10 critical public services, moving from pilot stages to scaled implementations.
The e-Government platform will be a key focus area for transformation where citizens can firsthand experience AI-powered public services. Applications such as personalized service guidance, pre-review of applications, and smart document support will initially be launched as pilots.
The plan includes piloting and scaling at least five AI-supported citizen services via the e-Government platform. In these applications, principles such as protecting personal data, ensuring decisions are explainable, and incorporating human oversight will be observed.
High-impact AI systems deployed across public institutions will also be required to undergo certification and evaluation processes.
