The conference titled “Artificial Intelligence,” organized by Ondokuz Mayıs University Faculty of Tourism, took place on February 25, 2026, at the Faculty Conference Hall with strong student and participant attendance. Assoc. Prof. Dr. İsmail İŞERİ, Director of OMU’s Information Processing Department, delivered the keynote speech. He provided a comprehensive overview of artificial intelligence — from its definition and historical evolution to its profound transformative impact today. Special emphasis was placed on 2012 as a pivotal year for deep learning breakthroughs. The speaker explained supervised and unsupervised learning models and data labeling processes with practical examples.
İSERİ highlighted that nearly every profession will be affected by AI and stressed the urgent need for individuals and society to adapt through enhanced digital literacy, personal skill development, and lifelong learning. He emphasized that while AI is a powerful tool, ultimate control in management and decision-making must always remain with humans.
The event also explored practical applications of AI, including chatbots, humanoid robots, and its use across different industries. Discussions addressed potential job transformations and the emergence of new roles such as digital management and AI-driven professions. In the context of tourism, AI’s role in reservation systems, personalized services, data analytics, and customer experience management was examined in detail. Key insights from the 2026 Davos Summit regarding AI ethics, governance, and sustainability were also shared.
The conference ended with a Q&A session where Assoc. Prof. Dr. İsmail İŞERİ responded to students’ questions and shared his insights on the future of artificial intelligence.
The Faculty of Tourism extends its sincere thanks to Assoc. Prof. Dr. İsmail İŞERİ for his valuable contribution.