Yüksel Açık: Governance for AI Will Be Strengthened in the Boardroom

Capital Magazine / September 2026

How should artificial intelligence be positioned on the board's agenda? How should boards set the budget, the priorities, and the leadership model for AI investments? What balance should they strike between efficiency and new revenue generation? Açık Holding Chairman Yüksel Açık argues that sustainable growth is not possible without first optimising operations, and states that this is why the group gives priority to efficiency in its artificial intelligence investments.

A Strategic Management Agenda

Underlining that artificial intelligence is no longer a matter for technology teams alone but a strategic management agenda in its own right, Açık explains: "That is why I believe the most effective model is a hybrid structure. The vision must be set at senior management and CEO level, technology teams must carry out the implementation, and a central structure must provide coordination. Research shows that most of the value derived from AI comes from the limited number of companies that manage this transformation correctly."

Three Years of Change

Noting that artificial intelligence is now treated as a separate item on board agendas and tied to performance indicators, Açık summarises the transformation he expects in the period ahead: "Over the next three years we will see business models become more autonomous, data-driven, and scalable. Yet the most critical risk in this transformation is flawed or biased decision-making. For that reason, human oversight and strong governance mechanisms will be indispensable."