In recent years, the European Union has launched a comprehensive digital strategy under the policy vision “A Europe Fit for the Digital Age,” accompanied by key legislative measures such as the Data Act, Data Governance Act, Digital Services Act, Digital Markets Act, NIS2 Directive, and the Cyber Resilience Act. Among these, the Artificial Intelligence Act (EU AI Act) stands out as a groundbreaking legal instrument for regulating the development, deployment, and marketing of AI systems.

The EU AI Act introduces a risk-based, yet expansive regulatory framework that governs AI technologies both within and beyond EU borders. By adopting an extraterritorial scope similar to the GDPR, the EU aims to establish a global benchmark—an approach often referred to as the Brussels Effect. This means companies in Turkey that develop, export, or integrate AI solutions intended for the European market will need to ensure compliance with the EU AI Act, even if they are not physically based in Europe.

For Turkish businesses and legal practitioners, the Act represents more than a legal requirement; it offers an opportunity to align with international best practices in AI governance. The regulation combines elements of traditional product safety law with modern digital compliance requirements. It imposes obligations on providers, users, importers, and distributors of high-risk AI systems while encouraging transparency, accountability, and fundamental rights protection.

Turkey, as a candidate country and a major digital hub bridging Europe and Asia, stands to benefit from proactively aligning its domestic policies and regulatory practices with the EU AI Act. Doing so may enhance cross-border cooperation, foster digital trade, and attract investment from AI-conscious European partners.

Moreover, Turkish AI developers who understand and apply the compliance mechanisms of the EU AI Act—from conformity assessments to data governance—will not only gain a competitive edge in the European market but also help elevate national standards in AI ethics and safety.

As the global legal landscape around AI continues to evolve, embracing the principles and requirements set forth in the EU AI Act is a strategic move for Turkey’s tech ecosystem, legal sector, and policymakers.