Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned that technology and artificial intelligence are reshaping society, accusing tech oligarchs of seeking to influence young people and shape the future according to their own interests.

Axar.az reports, citing Turkish media, that Erdogan made the remarks in a speech, saying that the growing influence of technology was raising questions about how to protect young people's values and identity.

“Tech oligarchs, who see themselves as ‘chosen’ and superior to others, are trying to shape not only our present lives but also our future in line with their own worldviews and interests,” he said.

Erdogan added that recent troubling incidents at schools had exposed the dangers associated with this mindset.

“It is vital to determine how we should respond to and resist these new elites, who fuel racism, promote hedonism and recognize no rules or boundaries, and how we can protect our children from them,” he said.

The Turkish president described young people involved in the TEKNOFEST initiative and the Science Dissemination Foundation movement as a key safeguard against the influence of tech oligarchs.

He also stressed the importance of embracing technological progress without losing cultural identity.

“The key issue is to embrace the opportunities of our time while moving forward without losing our identity,” he added.