The Türkiye-US Business Summit convened in Istanbul, bringing together key representatives from both countries' business communities to discuss the transformative impact of artificial intelligence on Türkiye's strategic industries, as well as the regulatory and compliance challenges facing high-stakes sectors.
Hosted by AmCham Türkiye, the representative of the US Chamber of Commerce in Türkiye, and held under the theme “AI & Cybersecurity: Future Perspectives on Sectors," the summit also featured the I AmChamPion Awards and Gala, celebrating successful examples of Türkiye-US economic cooperation under five categories.
The summit saw attendance from many key figures from business ecosystem including, AmCham Türkiye Chairman Emre Karter, USTDA Acting Director Thomas R. Hardy, Microsoft Türkiye General Manager Levent Özbilgin, USTDA Regional Director for Middle East, North Africa, Europe & Eurasia Carl Kreiss and Ministry of Foreign Affairs Deputy Director General for Science and Technology Policies Hamdi Aksoy.
During the summit, Investment and Finance Office Vice President Bekir Polat participated as a panelist in the session titled “AI's Transformative Role in Türkiye's Key Industries," where he highlighted recent sectoral developments and emphasized how AI is reshaping Türkiye's value proposition for global investors.
“Artificial intelligence and digitalization have fundamentally transformed global FDI. Especially in the post-pandemic era, around 75 percent of global FDI has shifted toward data centers, semiconductors, advanced technologies, and verticals such as mobility," he noted.
Polat also underlined that approximately 55 percent of Türkiye's installed power capacity comes from renewable energy sources, reinforcing the country's competitive edge in sustainable and high-tech investment areas.
Following the summit, the I AmChamPion Awards and Gala took place, honoring companies that contribute to the advancement of Türkiye-US economic relations.
The seventh edition of the awards began with opening remarks by Investment and Finance Office President A. Burak Dağlıoğlu, who shared key figures on bilateral trade and FDI. Emphasizing that Türkiye-US economic ties have evolved into a balanced and strategic partnership that goes beyond the traditional investor-market dynamic, Dağlıoğlu stated:
“With USD 16 billion of US FDI in Türkiye and USD 13.5 billion of Turkish FDI in the US, along with roughly 2,300 US companies operating in Türkiye, we see clear evidence of a balanced and continuously expanding investment relationship."
Dağlıoğlu also highlighted President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's commitment to strengthening bilateral economic ties: “The two investor meetings held by our President in the US this year once again demonstrated how critical the contributions of US companies are in advancing our shared goals."
Dağlıoğlu noted Türkiye's strong performance in attracting FDI, stating that the country secured USD 11.4 billion in the first nine months of the year and USD 15.3 billion over the past 12 months. He added that Türkiye has attracted an annual average of USD 12.5 billion in FDI since 2003, underscoring its sustained appeal for global investors.