This project aims to expand access to artificial intelligence education across Türkiye, equipping middle school students (ages 11-14) with the skills to become AI creators rather than just consumers. By providing hands-on AI training, students will learn the fundamentals of coding, voice, and image recognition, empowering them to develop their own AI-driven solutions.

The initiative will be implemented in all 81 provinces through a volunteer-led training model, leveraging a network of trained instructors to ensure widespread access. In its pilot year, the program aims to reach 35,000 students, with participants receiving a structured 6-hour introductory AI course. To support continued learning, students will have access to online resources and mentorship from volunteer instructors.

To foster innovation, the project includes two major AI hackathons—the SUJ Global Hackathon and the National AI Hackathon—where students can apply their skills to real-world challenges, collaborate with peers, and develop AI projects.

A key focus of the project is ensuring AI education reaches rural and underserved communities. This will be achieved through the Technology Classroom Network, which integrates AI learning into existing educational spaces, and the Mobile Training Vehicle, a traveling AI lab designed to bring hands-on training and digital resources directly to students with limited access to technology. By transforming public spaces and schools into interactive AI learning hubs, the Mobile Training Vehicle will bridge the digital divide, ensuring that every student, regardless of location, has the opportunity to gain knowledge and skills in AI.

Building on the success of the "Coding Tomorrow" initiative, which has impacted thousands of students over the past seven years, this project represents the next step in fostering a generation that can shape the future with AI.

https://yapayzekayildizlari.org/

• Türkiye (Republic of)

• Youth
• Middle school students aged 11-14

Yes, this project is highly replicable in different regions and countries due to its scalable and flexible model. It combines volunteer-led training, online resources, and AI-focused hackathons, allowing for adaptation to diverse educational systems and technological infrastructures.

The project’s modular structure enables it to be customized based on local needs, ensuring accessibility for remote and underserved communities. The Mobile Training Vehicle and Technology Classroom Network provide innovative ways to reach students in areas with limited digital infrastructure, making AI education more inclusive.

Furthermore, the project aligns with global priorities in digital literacy, STEM education, and workforce readiness, making it a strong candidate for replication in regions looking to enhance AI skills and technological empowerment. It can be implemented in partnership with governments, NGOs, and educational institutions, ensuring sustainability and long-term impact.

By leveraging existing educational networks and training local instructors, this initiative can be scaled across different cultural and socioeconomic contexts, fostering a global generation of AI-literate youth.

Yes, this project is designed for long-term sustainability through interconnected strategies.

- Operational Sustainability: A volunteer-led training model and online educational resources ensure continuity with minimal costs, making AI education widely accessible.
- Financial Sustainability: The project minimizes recurring costs through volunteer instructors, digital resources, and Mobile Training Vehicles. Partnerships with schools, private sector stakeholders, and local governments provide ongoing support.
- Scalability & Community Ownership: By training teachers and community leaders, the project enables long-term adoption in schools. The Technology Classroom Network integrates AI education into existing programs.
- Long-term Impact: Equipping students with AI skills fosters future innovation and workforce readiness. The focus on AI-driven sustainability solutions encourages long-term social and environmental impact.

This project promotes WSIS values by ensuring equitable access to AI education for students across Türkiye, particularly in underserved communities. By bridging the digital divide through the Mobile Training Vehicle and Technology Classroom Network, it aligns with the WSIS principle of "Access to information and knowledge," providing marginalized areas with the tools to engage with emerging technologies. The initiative empowers youth to become active creators of technology, supporting the WSIS value of "Empowering individuals and communities" through education and skills development. The project also embraces multistakeholder participation, integrating volunteer-led training and online resources that allow diverse communities, including remote areas, to participate. By fostering innovation through AI-focused hackathons, it encourages collaboration and problem-solving, in line with the WSIS principle of "Fostering innovation and creativity". Additionally, the focus on sustainability through self-sustaining learning models supports long-term capacity building in alignment with WSIS’s goals for sustainable development and inclusive knowledge societies.