Türkiye’s Competition Authority has launched a comprehensive sector inquiry into artificial intelligence, signaling growing regulatory attention to the competitive implications of rapidly developing AI technologies.
The inquiry, announced on 7 April 2026, aims to examine how the expanding AI ecosystem is reshaping market structures, competitive dynamics and the distribution of market power. According to the authority, artificial intelligence has evolved from a niche technological field into a transformative economic force that is redefining how competition develops across digital markets.
Rapid progress in generative and productive AI systems has created a new competitive landscape structured around access to key inputs such as data, computing capacity and technical expertise. Regulators note that companies able to secure these resources early and at scale may strengthen their position across multiple layers of the AI value chain, potentially enabling them to build vertically integrated ecosystems that reinforce their market power.
The authority highlighted that the AI value chain itself has become increasingly complex. It spans infrastructure and computing resources, the development of core AI models and the creation of downstream applications. Within this structure, the development of foundational or “general-purpose” models plays a particularly influential role. These models are trained on vast datasets and can be deployed across a wide range of sectors, allowing the companies that control them to influence the broader direction of the AI ecosystem.
Such dynamics may give rise to competition concerns. The authority pointed to risks including higher barriers to entry for new market participants, the possibility of users becoming locked into particular technology ecosystems and difficulties for competitors seeking access to critical inputs such as data or computing infrastructure. These issues could affect not only current market conditions but also long-term innovation and market development.
Another key focus of the inquiry is the integration of AI technologies into the existing products and services of large digital platforms. The authority warned that such integration could facilitate potentially exclusionary practices, including self-preferencing, tying arrangements, access restrictions or increased switching costs for users. These practices could reinforce the position of dominant digital platforms while limiting opportunities for smaller innovators.
The investigation will also examine the growing importance of artificial intelligence in merger control. Recent transactions reviewed by the authority have shown that AI capabilities can play a central role in acquisitions and strategic investments. In some cases, AI technologies form the core of the relevant market under review, while in others the competitive assessment must consider factors such as access to data, complementary technologies, potential competition and the protection of future innovation.
Through the sector inquiry, the authority intends to analyze how the AI ecosystem is developing around core models, how the different layers of the value chain interact and how access to key resources influences competitive outcomes. Particular attention will be paid to relationships between large technology firms and smaller innovators, as well as to the competitive effects of control over data and computing power.
The authority said the objective of the inquiry is to identify emerging structural trends and potential competition risks at an early stage. The findings are expected to inform future policy decisions and enforcement strategies aimed at maintaining competitive market conditions as artificial intelligence becomes more deeply embedded in the economy.
By launching the investigation, Türkiye’s Competition Authority joins a growing number of regulators worldwide seeking to understand how artificial intelligence could reshape competition across digital markets and broader economic sectors.
