Turkey has just introduced its first population-registered humanoid robot after it officially took part in a municipal council meeting and answered questions from council members.

The humanoid robot, called CANIKMAN, stepped into local government and took part in the May opening session of the Canik Municipal Council, which was held in the city of Samsun on Tuesday, May 5.

According to İbrahim Sandıkçı, Canik Municipality mayor, the humanoid followed council discussions, interacted with the participants, and also responded to their questions during the session.

Following the meeting, Sandıkçı expressed his excitement over the humanoid’s appearance at the event in an X post. “We successfully held the Canik Municipal Council’s May Opening Meeting with the participation of our esteemed council members, in an atmosphere of unity and togetherness,” he said.

CANIKMAN’s council debut

The session focused on ongoing district investments, infrastructure projects, and education initiatives. “I hope that the decisions we made will be beneficial for our district,” Sandıkçı pointed out.

Sandıkçı, who led the meeting, underlined CANIKMAN’s role in the municipality’s technology efforts. Its appearance further reflected the nation’s growing interest in robotics and technology-focused education programs.

Images taken at the meeting depicted the humanoid standing before the council members. Additional images captured it walking through the chamber and sitting alongside officials during council voting.

The municipality stated that the robot has become an active part of science and technology workshops for students across the district. It is also used at the Canik Ozdemir Bayraktar Discovery Campus, where children and young people take part in free STEM-focused training programs.

“Türkiye’s first population-registered humanoid robot, CANIKMAN, continues to meet with our children and young people,” Sandıkçı explained. He said that the municipality’s goal is to raise future generations with a strong understanding of innovative technologies.

Pushing smart technologies

According to Türkiye Today, the council meeting largely focused on technology and infrastructure projects. Officials also announced a new deal to expand fiber internet access across the district.

The project will reportedly deliver fiber internet access to approximately 20,000 households in the municipality. “We are continuing our science and technology mobilization in Canik,” Sandıkçı concluded.

Turkey has recently accelerated investments in domestic tech initiatives, including aerospace, defense technologies, AI, and robotics education. In the past years, the country has established itself as a significant developer of humanoid robots, after Konya-based AKINROBOTICS launched the world’s first humanoid robot factory in 2017. It produces robots for healthcare, hospitality, and education.

At the same time, the secretary of the Turkish secretariat of defense industries, Haluk Görgün, said Turkey’s defense and aerospace exports have reached USD 10.5 billion across 185 countries in the past year.

“We aim to soon exceed USD 11 billion and move Turkey into the world’s top 10 countries in defense and aerospace exports,” he highlighted, adding that Turkey’s policy on this matter remains unchanged. “We place our strength at the service of stability, not chaos. We see our technology not as a tool of tension, but as a guarantee of peace and security.”