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June 30, 2025 - GTU Office of Press and Public Relations
Artificial intelligence is discussed; the public asks questions, and the scientist answers. GTU brings science to society with the Science Café event in Gebze, coordinated by the YÖK Science Communication Office.
Science Takes to the Streets The Science Café event, held by Gebze Technical University (GTU) on Friday, June 27, 2025, took place in front of the Malkoçoğlu Mehmet Bey Tomb located in the city center of Gebze. The open-air talk attracted a wide range of attendees from various age groups and professions.
Artificial Intelligence Was on the Agenda At the event, featuring GTU Computer Engineering Department faculty member and Dean of the Faculty of Engineering Prof. Yusuf Sinan Akgül as the speaker, one of the most striking topics of our time, artificial intelligence technologies, were discussed. Many subjects were explained in simple language understandable to everyone, ranging from the impacts of AI on daily life to future projections.
"Artificial Intelligence: Threat or Opportunity?" Prof. Yusuf Sinan Akgül addressed both the threats and opportunities of artificial intelligence and touched upon its historical development as well as its current effects. He emphasized that AI initially emerged through military calculations and expert systems, but nowadays, thanks to data and machine learning, it can perform human-like tasks. For example, he highlighted that "tools like ChatGPT can now handle complex tasks such as text summarization, translation, and legal analysis." However, he also pointed out risks such as data security, ethical concerns, and transformations in professions.
The Transformative Power of AI from Education to Ethics Akgül particularly drew attention to opportunities AI offers in areas like education and healthcare: "With personalized education systems, each student can learn at their own pace," he explained, illustrating the technology’s potential. Yet, he warned, "If we do not use this technology correctly, it may deepen our existing educational problems." Furthermore, he stressed that Türkiye should focus more on smartly using existing AI tools rather than only producing technology in the AI race. Finally, emphasizing the importance of controlling AI with ethical and legal regulations, he called for steps similar to the European Union’s AI laws.
Q&A Session Attracted Attention The interactive format of the Science Café, where participants could directly ask questions to Prof. Akgül, drew attention by enabling scientific knowledge to reach society directly. The variety and depth of questions demonstrated that the topic of artificial intelligence holds a significant place on the public agenda.
Received With Great Interest, Applause, and Thanks At the end of the event, Prof. Yusuf Sinan Akgül was warmly seen off with enthusiastic applause and thanks from the participants. Attendees expressed their satisfaction with organizing such an event in Gebze and thanked GTU and all those involved.
Science Café Connects University With Society Coordinated by the Higher Education Council (YÖK) Science Communication Office, Science Café events are held simultaneously across Türkiye and stand out as a new generation model of science communication where universities meet with society. |
