Artificial Intelligence in Türkiye: More Than a Technological Issue

Much of the debate surrounding artificial intelligence continues to revolve around a technology-centred perspective. Efficiency, automation, productivity, and speed dominate the conversation. Yet in a country such as Türkiye, where social transformation is both rapid and multi-layered, viewing artificial intelligence solely as a technological development offers only a partial understanding. What ultimately gives technology meaning is not its technical capability, but the role it assumes in everyday life and the needs it fulfils in the minds of individuals.

For this reason, the most important question today is not the technical capabilities of artificial intelligence, but the kind of relationship society is building with this technology.

From Technological Curiosity to Everyday Practice

Recent findings from the KONDA Barometer provide valuable insight into this relationship. Approximately 40% of Türkiye’s population aged 15 and over uses artificial intelligence tools with varying levels of frequency. Artificial intelligence is no longer an innovation experienced only by a limited group of technology enthusiasts. It is increasingly becoming part of everyday life and an established behavioural practice.

More important than the adoption rate itself, however, is the nature of that adoption.

The data shows that artificial intelligence in Türkiye is primarily used to meet practical everyday needs. Around 24% of society regards AI as a source of advice or consultation. Approximately 10% use it for recipes, travel planning, or organising daily activities, while 12% rely on it to support education and learning.

A Digital Remedy for Loneliness

The most striking finding, however, lies elsewhere.

The research reveals that around 7% of society uses artificial intelligence for conversation, fortune-telling, or purposes resembling psychological support. This suggests that millions of people are positioning AI as a response to loneliness or as a form of digital companionship.

It is precisely at this point that the discussion moves beyond technology and becomes a sociological issue.

Over the past century, Türkiye has experienced profound social transformation. Rural-to-urban migration, the gradual decline of the extended family structure, increasing individualisation, and the rapid expansion of digital technologies have collectively shifted social interaction towards digital environments. While many people now interact with fewer individuals in their daily lives, the number of screens through which they engage with the world continues to grow.

Viewed from this perspective, artificial intelligence is emerging as a new interface for interaction within the relational gaps created by modern urban life. AI is no longer simply a mechanism for providing information. It has become a point of consultation, an accelerator of decision-making, and, at times, a companion that accompanies people through everyday life and emotional needs.

Young People Between Employment and Adaptation

A similar dynamic can be observed among younger generations.

A significant proportion of students now use artificial intelligence throughout their learning processes. While this undoubtedly accelerates education, it also reveals something deeper than technological adaptation alone: anxiety about the future.

At a time when a university degree no longer guarantees employment, many young people see artificial intelligence as a means of remaining competitive. On the one hand, they wrestle with the existential concern that AI may eventually replace their jobs. On the other, they increasingly believe that mastering the same technology offers the best chance of overcoming that uncertainty.

From Search to Decision: The Evolution of the Consumer Journey

This transformation is also reshaping consumer behaviour.

Around 24% of society now prefers asking direct questions rather than conducting lengthy online searches. Consumers increasingly ask questions such as, “Which product is most suitable for me?” or “Where can I find the healthiest option for my baby?”

This shift points towards a broader transformation centred on reducing cognitive effort. Consumers are no longer looking simply for information; they expect information that has already been processed, interpreted, and contextualised. They seek direct recommendations rather than endless lists of possibilities.

Search behaviour is gradually giving way to decision-seeking behaviour.

For brands, this creates an entirely new competitive landscape. Competition will no longer exist only on shop shelves or digital screens, but increasingly within the recommendation mechanisms of intelligent algorithms.

Brands, however, should approach this new environment with care. The answer does not lie in the technology itself. It lies in understanding the complexity of human emotions, motivations, and impulses. The critical question is therefore no longer, “What can these technologies do?” but rather, “Why are my customers using them?”

Ultimately, artificial intelligence in Türkiye is far more than a technical tool. It represents a turning point in how society thinks, makes decisions, and organises everyday life.

Understanding this transformation requires more than simply following technological developments. It demands a careful reading of social behaviour, locally grounded data, and the evolving relationship between people and technology.

Published on Pazarlamasyon May 2026
Author: Yiğit Kalafatoğlu.