ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES

Artificial intelligence and digital technologies have become a fundamental field of science and technology, transforming not only computer science or software development but also a vast spectrum of areas, from engineering and basic sciences to healthcare systems, energy infrastructure, disaster management, and public policy. Big data, machine learning, autonomous systems, digital twins, and cyber-physical structures are positioned as integral components of the critical infrastructures that define the functioning of modern societies. These developments have made artificial intelligence and digital technologies not merely an application area, but a central research axis for the design and management of complex systems.

In recent years, the increasing integration of artificial intelligence into decision-making processes has brought the social, economic, and security dimensions of algorithmic systems to the forefront. Issues such as reliability, explainability, ethics, and regulation have become as important components of AI research as its technical aspects. AI and digital transformation-focused research conducted in the US by the National Science Foundation (NSF) through the AI Institutes, and in the European Union under the Horizon Europe and Digital Europe programs, clearly demonstrates that this field is being treated as an interdisciplinary, systems-based, and long-term academic area of expertise.

Artificial Intelligence and Digital Technologies Master's and Doctoral Programs aim to integrate artificial intelligence, data science, computational modeling, digital infrastructures, and cyber-physical systems within a single academic framework, in line with this global trend. Instead of addressing artificial intelligence solely at the algorithm development level, the program adopts a holistic research approach that aims for its reliable and sustainable application to real-world systems, critical infrastructures, and socio-technical structures.

The primary aim of the Artificial Intelligence and Digital Technologies Master's and Doctoral Programs is to train researchers who can produce original scientific knowledge, develop advanced methods, and apply these methods to complex problem areas. The program aims for students at the doctoral and master's levels not only to use existing technologies but also to develop new algorithms, architectures, and analytical frameworks.

The vision of the program is to create a research environment that leads the development of reliable, explainable, ethical, and sustainable artificial intelligence systems. In line with this vision, the aim is to produce nationally and internationally impactful research in areas such as decision support systems, autonomous structures, digital twins, large-scale data analytics, and the use of AI in scientific discovery processes (AI for Science). The program aims to train its students as researchers who can evaluate the societal impacts and system consequences in addition to having technical depth.

Beyond digitalization, artificial intelligence and digital technologies have become the fundamental infrastructure of engineering and scientific production. In many areas, from public services to industry, and from defense to healthcare systems, decision-making processes are increasingly supported by or directly delegated to algorithmic systems. This situation makes the reliability, transparency, and auditability of AI technologies strategically important.

In the coming period, it is anticipated that artificial intelligence will be used more deeply in areas such as digital twins, autonomous systems, smart cities, disaster and risk management, energy systems, and scientific research. These developments will increase the need for researchers who can not only develop software but also understand complex systems and produce holistic solutions based on data and modeling. The program's doctoral and master's structure offers a flexible and advanced academic framework that can adapt to this rapid transformation.

Graduates of the Artificial Intelligence and Digital Technologies Master's and Doctoral Programs possess the competencies to work as academics and researchers in universities and research centers, as well as in high-tech companies, R&D centers, defense and security institutions, public organizations, and international organizations.

Graduates can take on roles such as AI researcher, data science and algorithm specialist, digital systems architect, decision support systems developer, and technology policy consultant. Furthermore, thanks to their strong interdisciplinary backgrounds, they can play active roles in the development of innovative digital products and services within the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

The program is structured with a research-based, interdisciplinary, and project-oriented educational approach. Doctoral and master's students are guided towards in-depth studies in the fields of advanced AI algorithms, data analytics, computational modeling, and digital system architectures. Seminars, research projects, and publication-focused studies are among the core components of the program.

Students are integrated into national and international research projects from an early stage; academic publication production, patenting, and technology development activities are encouraged. This educational approach aims for graduates to possess not only technical expertise but also critical thinking, ethical awareness, interdisciplinary communication, and leadership skills.