AI Summit’26 organized by the Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU) Student Development, Events and Sports Affairs Directorate in collaboration with Software and Artificial Intelligence Development Club, and supported by the Department of Computer Engineering, took place on Saturday, 2 May 2026 between 10:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. at Rauf Raif Denktaş Culture and Congress Center. The third edition of the summit was held with the main sponsorship of by Döveç Group of Companies, communication sponsorship from North Cyprus Turkcell and media sponsorship from NRG Publishing and Information Technology Services Ltd. The event was contributed by Koopbank, Prova Cyprus and Er Advertisement. Visited by nearly 2,000 people, this year’s summit summit stood out as one of the most highly attended student-sector events organized to date in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
EMU Rector Prof. Dr. Hasan Kılıç, Commander of the 4th Infantry Regiment, Staff Colonel Mahmut Gergin, EMU Vice Rectors Prof. Dr. Osman M. Karatepe, Prof. Dr. Sonuç Zorlu and Prof. Dr. Ali Öztüren, EMU General Secretary Derviş Ekşici, shareholder representatives, faculty members, students and many guests attended the event.
The summit commenced with an exciting AI-assisted opening video created by the Software and Artificial Intelligence Development Club. While the event was held in Turkish, it was made accessible to all attendees thanks to the translation application lisent.ai, developed by the club’s founding members and projected onto the screen.
“Our Goal is to Connect Students with the Industry before They Graduate”
Making an address at the event’s opening, Alper Önder, Chair of EMU Artificial Intelligence Development Club, expressed his satisfaction with the significant interest shown in the summit and stated that the outcome achieved after months of preparation was a great source of pride for them. Emphasizing that the club’s primary goal is to connect students with the industry before they graduate, Önder described the AI Summit as one of the most concrete examples of this objective.
“Young People Will Play a Defining Role in Shaping the Future”
Speaking at the summit, İzgün Günsal, Advertising, Sales and Marketing Director of Döveç Group of Companies, expressed their happiness in being part of the organization and described similar initiatives as long-term investments in the future. Noting that artificial intelligence-supported technologies are widely used throughout the group, Günsal pointed out that AI has become a key factor in enhancing efficiency and maintaining competitiveness, adding that young people will play a defining role in the future.
“Artificial Intelligence Is Now an Essential Part of Daily Life”
EMU Faculty of Engineering, Computer Engineering Department Head Prof. Dr. Zeki Bayram stated in his address that artificial intelligence has become deeply integrated into modern life. While highlighting the major opportunities AI provides in areas such as efficiency and scientific progress, Prof. Dr. Bayram also drew attention to potential risks including the spread of inaccurate information, ethical concerns, and deepfake technologies. He noted that artificial intelligence has advanced rapidly in recent years, evolving to the stage of autonomous systems and smart assistants. Stressing that the department will continue supporting initiatives and research in the field of AI, Prof. Dr. Bayram expressed his belief that the summit would be both inspiring and beneficial for participants.
“EMU Has a Vision That Shapes the Technologies of the Future”
EMU Vice Rector for Student Affairs Prof. Dr. Sonuç Zorlu emphasized in her speech that Eastern Mediterranean University is not only an institution that follows technological developments, but also one that possesses a vision capable of shaping the technologies of the future. She described the AI Summit as an important step toward achieving this objective. Prof. Dr. Zorlu also extended her appreciation to the student club, academics, and sponsors who contributed to the realization of the event, and expressed her hope that the summit would serve as a productive platform contributing to the future for all participants.
“A Defining Reality Transforming Every Aspect of Life
In his speech, EMU Rector Prof. Dr. Hasan Kılıç emphasized the vision of Eastern Mediterranean University as a center where knowledge is produced and technology is meaningfully interpreted, stating that the AI Summit provides an important platform in line with this vision. Noting that artificial intelligence is no longer merely an engineering subject but an inevitable reality transforming every aspect of life, Prof. Dr. Kılıç underlined that, as a university, they aim to become pioneers of this transformation while preparing students for the future. Drawing attention to the importance of addressing technology together with ethical values, Prof. Dr. Kılıç stated that he believes students are the individuals who will shape the future and expressed his hope that the summit would pave the way for new ideas and collaborations.
Following the opening speeches, plaques reflecting the significance and importance of the occasion were presented by EMU Rector Prof. Dr. Hasan Kılıç to the event stakeholders and contributors. Subsequently, nationally and internationally recognized experts in their respective fields delivered presentations. First, Google UK Staff AI Field Solutions Architect Anıl Şener delivered a presentation titled “Practical Generative AI Use Cases and Applications on Google Cloud”. This was followed by presentations from Kurtul Yücel – Risk Management & Digital Sales Solutions Principal Product Owner from Turkcell Technology – on “AI Asymmetry”, Amazon Web Services Solutions Arhcitect Eren Akbaba on “Building Agentic AI Applications with AWS Services: MCP and Beyond”, CSA Manager from Microsoft Barbaros Günay on “Humans, Agents, and Robots Together: The New Economy”, Oracle Cloud Solution Engineer Ali İhsan Çalışkan on “From Startups to Enterprises: AI & Cloud at Scale”, and Modern Airline Retailing Engineering Lead from Turkish Technology Ferhat Öztürk on “AI-Driven Development at Modern Airline Retailing”. Through their presentations, the speakers shared their knowledge and experiences in the fields of artificial intelligence and advanced technologies with the participants.
During the summit, the speakers provided insights into subjects such as cloud-based artificial intelligence technologies, generative AI applications, data analytics, digital transformation in institutions, and the latest AI practices implemented across industries. Sharing both their professional knowledge and practical experiences with participants, the speakers contributed to an informative program. Following the sessions, protocol representatives presented plaques to the speakers in recognition of their contributions.
During the breaks between presentations, students showed great interest in Kahoot competitions and prize draws that offered internship opportunities. Internship raffles and Kahoot activities were organized by Koopbank, North Cyprus Turkcell, and Aura Line Solution, while various gifts sponsored North Cyprus Turkcell, Feed Me, Cep Basket, Monster Notebook, and Municipality of Famagusta were awarded through online prize draws.
Alongside the day-long presentations, the foyer area set up as part of the event hosted stands representing start-up companies and student-led projects. Participants were able to showcase their projects through direct interaction with students and sector representatives, while also experiencing enjoyable moments through interactive applications powered by artificial intelligence.