Murat Kurum shows AI-generated photo of Izmir Bay at Parliament podium: 'We will not leave it to the incompetent'

Speaking at the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM), Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Murat Kurum displayed a photo of what Izmir Bay might look like in 10 years according to an AI application, stating, "There is a bay where blue has turned to black and fish no longer live."

Budget negotiations are ongoing at the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM).

The 2025 budget negotiations for the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change and the Ministry of Industry and Technology were held in the General Assembly.

Speaking about his ministry's budget, Murat Kurum targeted the CHP-run Izmir Metropolitan Municipality over the state of Izmir Bay.

"The fish deaths in Izmir Bay have saddened us all," said Kurum, adding, "As a ministry, we immediately completed our investigations. We established our Izmir Bay scientific committee and put forward a 15-point emergency action plan. When we showed the water we brought from the bay in the commission, we saw those who immediately got excited. Our deputies were flustered," he said.

Kurum displayed a photo at the podium of what Izmir Bay might look like in 10 years, which he had prepared using an AI application.

Kurum used the following expressions in his speech:

"This time I didn't bring a bottle, I brought a photo. Mr. Özgür Özel had said, 'We are determining our mayoral candidates with artificial intelligence.' We asked about the cities managed by candidates determined by artificial intelligence and used one of the world's most advanced applications. We entered the current state of Izmir Bay into the application and asked what the state of the bay would be in 2034 if the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality does not take the necessary precautions. Artificial intelligence produced this for us. There is a bay where blue has turned to black and fish no longer live.

So what does this mean, my dear deputies; Izmir does not need artificial intelligence, it needs 'doing intelligence' (a capable mind). Our beautiful Izmir should not worry; just as we did not leave the Golden Horn to these incompetent people yesterday, we will not leave Izmir Bay to them today."

Tension rose in the General Assembly following Minister Kurum's remarks.