During his speech at the opening of the International Strategic Communication Summit 2024 (Stratcom Summit 2024) organised by the Directorate of Communications in Istanbul, the Presidency's Head of Communications, Fahrettin Altun, emphasised that the deluge of disinformation that threatens humanity as a whole leads to information pollution and the rise of hate speech.
Head of Communications Altun stated that STRATCOM has evolved into a global centre of attraction in the field of strategic communication and become one of the foremost meeting hubs for leading figures worldwide.
Highlighting the theme of this year's forum, "AI in Communication: Trends, Traps and Transition," Head of Communications Altun emphasised that AI is an undeniable fact of today's communication ecosystem and that the forum will elaborate on and examine it closely.
Stating that investments in AI technologies are growing day by day, Altun noted that global tech companies, start-ups, universities, and governments allocate billions of dollars of funds to AI research.
Head of Communications Altun highlighted that AI investments are nearing 200 billion dollars and are growing daily. He noted that AI research is accelerating across various sectors, including health, finance, education, e-commerce, manufacturing, military, and media-communication.
Recognising the extensive use of AI in big data analysis, user experience measurement, and content production within the communication and media sector, Altun continued to say:
"Users are also involved in this process. They are also becoming increasingly active. Through AI models and agents, users have begun to actively participate in the process. The online presence of AI-generated synthetic content is growing day by day, and synthetic identities, even synthetic media and channels, are being created with this content. Research indicates that by 2024, more than 500 million people worldwide will be actively using AI-based applications. Again, by 2024, we see that approximately 15 percent of all digital content is produced by artificial intelligence, a truly remarkable statistic."
Highlighting that we are currently encountering AI technology and the changes it brings, not just in communication and informatics but across all aspects of life, Head of Communications Altun stated that every significant transformation and pivotal moment inevitably comes with its challenges.
Head of Communications Altun noted that the changes brought by artificial intelligence have led to restructuring in the social sphere on one hand. However, on the other hand, they could result in significant unrest and even chaos, or at the very least, heighten the sense of unrest and chaos.
Underscoring that AI, like all technological advancements, presents both opportunities and challenges, as well as risks and threats, Head of Communications Altun stressed the necessity for humanity to take advantage of these opportunities for the benefit of humanity while effectively managing the associated risks.
Head of Communications Altun underlined that technology cannot be discussed without considering social processes, noting that every new invention and scientific advancement arises from social realities.
Altun, the Head of Communications, pointed out that viewing technology as the subject while treating humans as the object leads to a problematic form of technological determinism that is both anti-historical and anti-social. He explained that this perspective manifests in two ways: the first being "technophobia" and the second "technophilia."
Head of Communications Altun stated that both approaches fall short in explaining the technology-society, technology-culture, and technology-human relationships. He suggested that, instead of adopting the concepts of "technophobia" and "technophilia," they should address AI technologies with a bold yet cautious approach, focusing on humanity's historical legacy, cultural richness, social existence, and intellectual capacity.
Head of Communications Altun stated that this process also presents significant challenges, pointing out that the rapid advancements in communication technologies, particularly AI, go beyond simply speeding up the production and circulation of information and that they further amplify systematic disinformation and a barrage of misinformation.
Head of Communications Altun said that the deluge of disinformation, which poses a threat to humanity as a whole, paves the way for democratic crises, restrictions on individual freedoms, a climate of increasing social fear, information pollution, political and social polarisation, and a rise in hate speech.
Altun further remarked that disinformation is accompanied by a crisis of truth, which is rooted in the normalisation of lies and the diminishing significance of the truth.
"More potent disinformative content is being produced"
Underscoring that the current AI technologies have further exacerbated the crisis, Head of Communications Altun said:
"Today, it only takes one click to instantly create synthetic content, which is then rapidly disseminated through social networks. Deepfake technology makes it easy to manipulate video and audio recordings to be more realistic, resulting in the production of more potent disinformative content. AI-generated fake and disinformative content aggravates and fuels the polarisation among societies both nationally and internationally. Digital hubs of hate, so to speak, are exploiting this to disseminate harmful ideas, including racism, xenophobia, Islamophobia, and hate speech, in an attempt to corrupt societies."
Noting that the current state of AI technologies, unfortunately, aligns with the interests of the powerful rather than the righteous, the Head of Communications Altun said, "AI technologies intensify the inequalities between classes and nations, leading to a rise in global injustices. The cognitive and technological advancements of our era should not be used to enrich a select few entrepreneurs and investors or to entrench global exploitation relations. They should rather serve to liberate individuals, cultures, and societies. We believe in this and encourage everyone to collaborate through these platforms."
Noting that the globe and humanity are currently confronting major crises and challenges, Head of Communications Altun said, "We are faced with an incredibly intricate array of problems, ranging from wars to irregular migration, from global terrorism to genocide attempts, and from climate change to food crises. It is also evident that global cooperation is necessary in response to global issues. Türkiye is seeking to foster global collaborations to address global challenges; we are channelling our efforts in this direction. In this context, we are diligently working to establish new avenues of collaboration with all our allies."
"It demonstrates Türkiye's influence on world politics"
Head of Communications Altun noted that, with this perspective of cooperation, they have always embraced a stance favouring peace and the establishment of justice in resolving the ongoing crises and conflicts both regionally and globally and went on to say:
"The Ankara Agreement signed two days ago between Ethiopia and Somalia is one of the latest and most concrete examples of our country's efforts in this realm and the peace diplomacy of our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. It also demonstrates Türkiye's influence on world politics and Türkiye's role as a key international player, shaping the geopolitics not only of the Middle East, the Balkans, the Caucasus, and the Black Sea but also of Africa. Türkiye's intermediary and solution-orientated approach contributes to increased stability in the African region while also reinforcing its diplomatic influence and credibility at the global level. In this context, Türkiye has maintained its constructive dialogue with both sides in the Russia-Ukraine war and will continue to do so. Türkiye acts with the approach and motto that no one loses in an honourable peace, striving to contribute to regional and global peace."
Stating that the Grain Deal led by President Erdoğan was instrumental in eliminating the threat of hunger that could have affected millions of people and that the President continues to strive to establish new forms of agreements, Head of Communications Altun said: "Another crisis... Today, Türkiye, under the leadership of our President, is making intensive diplomatic efforts to end the genocide in Gaza, the bleeding wound of humanity, to provide humanitarian aid, and to secure an unconditional and permanent ceasefire. We are also contributing to the process by presenting evidence for holding Israel accountable in international courts for war crimes and ensuring that actions are taken against Israeli officials. In this context, we have and will continue to make significant efforts to expose the lies of Israel and to negate the disinformation tactics that Israel employs to cover up the atrocities it has committed in Gaza and Palestine."
Head of Communications Altun continued:
"As stated by our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Türkiye has positioned itself on the rightful side of history for 13 years in Syria, which has witnessed striking developments in recent days. Today, the entire world has clearly seen how we positioned ourselves on the rightful side of history in Syria under the strong leadership of our esteemed President. Our country has been home to millions of Syrians while standing by the oppressed in Syria and against the oppressor. Türkiye will continue to do everything within its capacity to ensure that Syria and our Syrian brothers and sisters live in peace and calm, just as we have done thus far. I would like to reiterate this with even greater emphasis. We believe that Syria belongs to Syrians. We did not agree to the political, geographic, and ethnic engineering attempts on Syria in the past, nor will we agree to it now or in the future. We will continue to stand by justice, peace, calm, and prosperity and against imperial ambitions and terrorist structures that threaten our country's security in Syria, with which we share a 911-kilometre land border and a deep history of fraternity and neighbourliness. We will stand by stability and against terrorism, and we will maintain this stance resolutely. As a reconciliatory and stabilising power in resolving crises, Türkiye is, as it has been so far, a strong ally and decisive actor in solving regional and global issues as well as a leader in the solution of global problems."
Stating that Türkiye has made significant investments in the field of artificial intelligence and has emerged as an ambitious actor, Head of Communications Altun said, "With the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, Türkiye aims to become a global value producer by establishing a sustainable artificial intelligence ecosystem. In this context, the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy we have developed sets highly significant goals to train AI experts, increase employment in this field, support research, foster entrepreneurship and innovation, expand access to high-quality data and technical infrastructure, implement regulations that will speed up socioeconomic adaptation, strengthen international cooperation, accelerate structural and labour transformation, and make concerted efforts to achieve these objectives."
Head of Communications Altun stated that by 2025, the end of the implementation period for the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy Document, Türkiye aims to increase the contribution of artificial intelligence to its gross domestic product to 5 per cent, support the commercialisation of AI applications developed by the local ecosystem by prioritising them in public procurement, actively participate in the regulation and standardisation processes of international organisations concerning reliable and responsible AI and cross-border data sharing, and position Türkiye among the top 20 countries in international AI index rankings.
"Through our institutions, such as the Directorate of Communications, Anadolu Agency, TRT, and the Press Advertisement Agency, we are striving to ensure that truth prevails over disinformation"
Highlighting that Türkiye's strategy and vision for artificial intelligence extend beyond the economic and commercial aspects of these technologies, Head of Communications Altun said:
"Our AI strategy encompasses the preservation of societal, cultural, and human values amid the socio-economic transformation driven by artificial intelligence. While advocating for global justice under the leadership of our President, we also advocate for the truth in the global arena and call for justice through this advocacy. Just as we say that a fairer world is possible, we also say that a fairer media-communication ecosystem is possible. For this, we call for a fairer use of artificial intelligence technologies. We call for a fairer application of algorithms."
Head of Communications Altun stated that they are working to enhance Türkiye's increasingly important geopolitical position by strengthening its cyber capabilities and said, "One of our prominent concerns in this process is data privacy. In this context, we are developing our own cloud strategy to counter the vicious data policies of artificial intelligence models. We are formalising our efforts to combat disinformation and recognising it as a key policy area. With these efforts, Türkiye, through its institutions, such as the Directorate of Communications, Anadolu Agency, TRT, and the Press Advertisement Agency, is striving to ensure that truth and accurate information prevail over disinformation and lies."
Head of Communications Altun stated that Türkiye, through all these efforts, is fighting for the truth both nationally and internationally and noted:
"Truth is the foundation of our democracy, our political aspirations, and, in essence, our vision for a prosperous and fair future. We cannot achieve any of this without a commitment to truth, placing it at the heart of communication and the international system. Inspired by our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's struggle for global justice, Türkiye will prioritise conscience, justice, and truth, striving to establish a global strategic communication framework."
Head of Communications Altun thanked the participants, expressing hope that the forum would contribute to the global struggle for truth and justice, fostering peace and calm for humanity.
