Istanbul to host tech event GITEX AI 2026 in September

GITEX AI Türkiye 2026 expo will be held in Istanbul as part of the global GITEX network of tech and artificial intelligence (AI) conferences worldwide in September.

The gathering will bring together global tech firms, startups, investors, government representatives and industry professionals in the megacity.

The event will take place on Sept. 9-10 at the Istanbul Exhibition Center. Anadolu is its global communications partner.

Google Cloud, HPE, Nvidia, ASUS, Dell Technologies, SAP, TrendAI, Trendyol and Andevos are among the confirmed participants.

Türkiye’s Investment and Finance Office is hosting the event in partnership with the Industry and Technology Ministry, while the expo is organized by inD, a joint venture between the Dubai World Trade Center and Informa. Turkish Halkbank serves as the platinum sponsor of the event, which will attract over 300 firms and startups.

Türkiye’s information and communications technology market is projected to reach $38 billion this year and $58 billion by 2031, while the country aims to establish one gigawatt of data center capacity by 2030, having allocated $3 billion to data centers and AI this year, with plans to mobilize $10 billion in private funding, according to GITEX.

The expo said Türkiye’s startup ecosystem attracted $559 million in investments in the first quarter, while over 13,000 startups operate in some 114 technoparks nationwide and more than 1,700 research and development (R&D) centers are in operation.

Burak Daglioglu, head of the Turkish Investment and Finance Office, said in a statement that Türkiye’s growing data center and AI efforts in its tech ecosystem are powered by young talent, while the upcoming event is expected to showcase this momentum to the world.

GITEX CEO Trixie LohMirmand said the expo aims to strengthen Türkiye’s and the Eurasian region’s role in the global AI ecosystem.

Alp Onder Guler, Google Cloud’s Türkiye country manager, said the company’s participation in the expo indicates its long-term commitment to the country and that bringing its most advanced cloud and AI tech to Türkiye would empower firms to thrive in the era of autonomous AI.