As someone deeply immersed in the practical challenges of integrating AI into business workflows, I’ve repeatedly encountered Türkiye’s significant lag in adopting the AI revolution. Despite the global advancements in AI, particularly with large language models (LLMs), the lack of high-quality Turkish-language models presents a serious obstacle. This article explores my personal experiences with this technology, and why I believe this gap stems from insufficient investment in foundational AI infrastructure at the national level.
Understanding AI Model Sizes and Capabilities Large language models (LLMs) are typically categorized by the number of parameters they contain, such as 1B (1 billion), 7B (7 billion), 70B and up to 405B. These parameters represent the complexity and scale of the neural network that powers the model. For instance, training a 70B model often requires tens of millions of GPU hours—Meta’s latest model Llama3.3-70B which released in December 2024 is estimated to have consumed over 40 million GPU hours during its training. utilizing state-of-the-art NVIDIA A100 or H100 GPUs. This makes such training prohibitively expensive, often costing tens of millions of dollars.
Under normal circumstances, the larger the model, the more capable it tends to be in handling diverse and complex tasks. This is analogous to how someone who has read extensively throughout their life can use language more effectively. However, smaller models can be highly effective when trained on specialized data or tailored to specific languages and topics. For example, a Llama3.2-3B-Instruct model optimized for Instruction could outperform a general-purpose 20B model in that domain. Additionally, smaller models have the advantage of being deployable on more affordable GPU servers, making them accessible to startups and institutions with limited budgets. This flexibility underscores the importance of creating smaller, focused models that meet localized needs without requiring the infrastructure of a tech giant.
A Journey Through Models My goal was straightforward: to implement a Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) system capable of extracting and summarizing content from documents and interfacing with a chatbot. Initial tests using Llama 3.2 3B-Instruct in English proved promising, offering good-quality, contextually accurate responses. This made me think a 7B or 8B Turkish model could perform at least as well or better.
Since there are limited open-source options for Turkish models, Turkcell 7B and Trendyol-8B models were my first trials. The results were disappointing. Questions derived from human rights documents often triggered nonsensical outputs or irrelevant e-commerce data. For example, when querying about fundamental freedoms, the model inexplicably discussed customer order IDs or Shopify integrations.
The EuroLLM model, launched in December 2024, brought some hope. Despite being the best among these, its training across multiple European languages reduced its effectiveness for Turkish-specific applications. The responses were still subpar. Ultimately, I reverted to using OpenAI and Gemini models. Without altering a single line of code, these systems delivered accurate, nuanced answers, setting a clear benchmark that no Turkish model approached.
Language and Identity
Language is the cornerstone of a nation’s culture and identity. AI, when trained effectively in a native language, becomes a tool that not only empowers businesses but also ensures cultural preservation in the digital age. This is why the absence of a robust Turkish-language LLM is more than a technical gap—it’s a missed opportunity for national progress.
Governments in countries like China and the UAE are heavily investing in AI tailored to their linguistic and cultural needs. For example, China’s Baidu has developed the Ernie model, which excels in understanding Chinese idioms and historical texts, while the UAE’s Falcon model is optimized for Arabic, making it highly effective for local business and governmental applications. If Türkiye prioritizes similar investments, it could catalyze the development of models ranging from 1B to 70B parameters, creating a competitive landscape where startups and researchers can innovate without depending on foreign platforms.
Economic Dependency
The lack of a reliable open-source Turkish model forces businesses like mine to depend on major global players like OpenAI, Google, Xai or Antrophic. While these systems are great and improving, the financial burden of recurring API costs and the vulnerability of data privacy in foreign systems leave Turkish enterprises at a financial and operational disadvantage. Moreover, reliance on external tools undermines the potential for homegrown innovation and deprives local developers of valuable opportunities to refine AI technologies.
What Türkiye Needs to Do
- National Investment in AI Models: The government should fund initiatives to create high-quality LLMs trained on diverse Turkish datasets, similar to how global leaders invest in AI.
- Academic and Private Collaboration: Universities, research institutions, and private firms must collaborate to develop foundational AI models. This partnership can pool resources and datasets, fostering innovation.
- Support for Startups: By providing startups access to these foundational models, Türkiye can accelerate the development of sector-specific AI solutions in healthcare, education, and public services.
- Public Awareness and Advocacy: Just as campaigns for environmental causes succeed by mobilizing public support, we need a national movement to promote AI awareness and adoption.
Conclusion
Türkiye’s current AI trajectory reflects a missed opportunity. Without a robust AI ecosystem, the country risks becoming a passive consumer rather than an innovator in the AI-driven future. As someone who has tested the limitations of existing Turkish models, I can attest that the difference between local and global offerings is stark. However, with the right investments and vision, Türkiye can not only catch up but potentially lead in AI tailored to Turkish language and culture. The question remains: will Türkiye seize this moment, or let yet another revolution slip away?