ASELSAN CEO Ahmet Akyol delivered striking remarks on artificial intelligence transformation in the defense industry during the Boğaziçi Talent Summit held at Boğaziçi Üniversitesi’s South Campus, at Albert Long Hall. In his presentation titled “Managing Technology in the Age of Algorithms,” Akyol emphasized that the world is currently witnessing annual AI investments exceeding $200 billion, noting that tangible outcomes of these investments are now becoming visible.

Highlighting ASELSAN’s comprehensive AI transformation, Akyol stated that artificial intelligence is not limited to product development but is embedded across all corporate processes. From material selection and R&D optimization to production planning and human resources management, AI-driven systems have significantly improved operational performance. According to Akyol, these implementations have resulted in $39 million in annual financial gains and a total of 730,000 labor hours saved. This acceleration has strengthened both cost efficiency and innovation cycles within the company.

Addressing semiconductor capabilities, Akyol underlined that ASELSAN can design all military-grade chips domestically. For civilian markets, which require large-scale production, the company is positioning quantum chip design as its next technological frontier. Dedicated quantum chip research laboratories have been established, and new investments are being made within advanced technology campuses. He also noted that ASELSAN operates one of Türkiye’s largest known data centers, integrated within a secure closed network to support high-performance AI computing for sensitive defense applications.

Akyol further pointed out the strategic advantage provided by over 100,000 hours of recorded UAV (SİHA) camera footage. Such a dataset, he stressed, is unmatched globally and offers immense value for training advanced AI models. Reflecting on past challenges, he recalled that developing the first domestically produced defense camera during embargo periods took eight years, whereas the most recent system was completed in just three years—demonstrating how AI-driven innovation has significantly shortened development cycles.

Concluding his remarks, Akyol emphasized that artificial intelligence does not replace humans but transforms how work is performed. “Artificial intelligence is not the captain of the ship; humans remain the captain,” he said, underscoring the importance of human leadership in guiding technological transformation.