Turkey keen to meet digital transformation challenges

By Diyar Guldogan

ANKARA (AA) - Technological and digital transformations create social and economic changes in not only individuals but also institutions, Turkey's head of Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK) said on Wednesday.

Speaking at the 6th Microsoft Ankara Technology Summit in capital Ankara, Omer Fatih Sayan said: "Information and communication technologies that develop at an unprecedented pace create changes not only in economic and social life, but also it leads to new chances and opportunities for individuals, institutions and states."

He said the world faces "a new industrial revolution", which is Industry 4.0.

The fourth industrial revolution, known as Industry 4.0, offers technology and digital-based working conditions, which may have negative effects on the workforce in the near future.

The Industry 4.0 approach is the new production concept of the future and reflects the current trend of automation and data exchange in manufacturing technologies.

"Industry 4.0 will become an extension of mental capacity," he said.

Sayan added the symbol of Industry 4.0 would be big data and cloud computing.

He said one of the most important challenges for Turkey while meeting this transformation is to establish an infrastructure that would meet future potential developments.

"Supporting this infrastructure with domestic and national elements is one of our indispensable conditions," Sayan said.

- Digital strategy needed

Addressing the summit, Microsoft Turkey General Manager Murat Kansu said the countries that are part of the digital transformation will succeed, both in economic development and in providing welfare to the people.

Kansu said the tech company was continuing efforts, both in Turkey and in other countries, since the last 25 years to realize this digital transformation.

He added 25 percent of the world economy will be digital by 2020, according to research by a consultancy company.

“Within this context, both our companies and public institutions need to have a digital transformation strategy," Kansu said.

He said Turkey is the 53rd most competitive nation in the world out of 137 countries, according to Global Competitiveness Report published by the World Economic Forum.

"We use latest technologies, we create the most innovative applications and use them, but there is much progress to be made.

"As a country that wants to be among the top 10 economies of the world, we need to make digitalization and technological transformation," he added.