Mandatory artificial intelligence training coming for public personnel: Success levels will be monitored, micro-certificates will be issued

A new step is being taken regarding the use of artificial intelligence in the digital transformation process within the public sector. In line with the Turkey Artificial Intelligence Action Plan covering the 2026-2030 period, basic artificial intelligence literacy training will be made mandatory for public employees.

According to information reported by AA, the training will be conducted via e-learning methods under the coordination of the Ministry of Industry and Technology. The program will be mandatory through the human resources systems of public institutions; not only whether the personnel have completed the training, but also their success levels will be monitored regularly.

The training content will include basic concepts of artificial intelligence, safe use of generative artificial intelligence tools, protection of personal data, awareness against misinformation and "deepfake" content, and ethical usage principles. Short application modules will also be offered to public employees based on their duties and responsibilities.

Personnel who successfully complete the program will be awarded level-based micro-certificates demonstrating their basic competencies based on measurement and evaluation results.

INSTITUTIONS WILL PREPARE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ROADMAPS

To monitor the artificial intelligence transformation in the public sector on an institutional basis, a senior executive responsible for this field will be appointed in each institution. These executives will manage the institutions' artificial intelligence project and application portfolios and will regularly report on the progress of the work.

Following the completion of the appointments, public institutions are expected to prepare their three-year "Artificial Intelligence Roadmap" and annual targets within 12 weeks. The process aims to identify areas of use, test pilot applications, and scale up successful projects.

Within the scope of the action plan, it is planned to launch a total of at least 30 artificial intelligence pilots in 10 or more ministries with at least two pilot waves in the first 12 months. A pipeline extending from the pilot phase to scaling is aimed for at least 10 critical public services.

e-Government will also be one of the priority areas for transformation. AI-supported applications such as personalized service guidance, pre-check of applications, and smart document support are planned to be implemented first as pilots, and then those found successful will be expanded.

In the applications, principles such as the protection of personal data, explainability of decisions, and human oversight will be taken into account. Certification and evaluation processes will also be mandatory for high-impact artificial intelligence systems deployed in public institutions.