'Turkey has no luxury to be latecomer of digital world'

By Ugur Aslanhan and Abdulkadir Gunyol

ISTANBUL (AA) - Turkey has to achieve digital transformation, because global competition now has a new dimension of virtual competition that changes all time, space, production and marketing opportunities, said Sekib Avdagic, president of Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ITO) on Wednesday.

"We don't have the luxury to be a latecomer of digital future. We have to achieve that [digital transformation]," Avdagic noted during his opening speech of Visionary'19 Summit held in Istanbul.

He said being an actor of the digital age depends on being a superior actor of virtual competition, adding that digital future is possible only through digital transformation.

"This can be achieved through the transformation of the human mind, production and innovative approach," he said, adding that, with the National Technology move, Turkey will not be dependent on imported technology.

He also said whoever is now superior in data analytics, artificial intelligence and robotics, will be the winner of global competition.

During the summit, a number of panel discussions were held, including on Digital Ecosystem of Commerce, Digital Economy and Future of Money, Future of Cities and National Resources, National Technology Initiative and Digital Turkey, and Our Values in Digital Future.

Turkey’s Independent Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association organized the event under the theme of Digital Future.

* Writing by Aysu Bicer