Furniture Industry Targets $6 Billion in Exports With Artificial Intelligence

Turkchem 16 Feb 2026 110 1 dk okuma

The furniture industry, which posts an annual foreign trade surplus of over USD 3.5 billion, aims to boost its global competitiveness by placing artificial intelligence at the center of production and design processes. To this end, the "Des-ai-gn Man-ai-gment Workshop" program was launched in cooperation between the Aegean Furniture, Paper and Forest Products Exporters' Association and Yaşar University Design Research Center (YÜTAM).

The furniture sector, which generates over USD 3.5 billion in annual trade surplus, aims to strengthen its global competitive position by placing artificial intelligence at the center of production and design processes. To this end, the "Des-ai-gn Man-ai-gment Workshop" program was implemented through collaboration between Ege Mobilya Kağıt ve Orman Ürünleri İhracatçıları Birliği and Yaşar Üniversitesi Tasarım Araştırma Merkezi (YÜTAM).

The workshop, designed specifically for the furniture sector, addressed the integration of artificial intelligence tools into design, production and management processes. The program was attended by Hikmet Güngör, Deputy Chair of the Union, and Müjdat Kemer, Chair of the Furniture Working Committee, as well as Dr. Can Güvenir, Director of YÜTAM, and sector professionals.

"At the center of artificial intelligence transformation"
Hikmet Güngör stated that high-tech production infrastructure and digitalization are among the fundamental levers that will permanently increase the sector's competitiveness, and that artificial intelligence plays a central role in this transformation. Expressing that the use of artificial intelligence across a broad range from design to planning and marketing will provide companies with speed, flexibility and differentiation, Güngör noted that the goal is to promote such initiatives more widely.

"We must break free from the vicious cycle of price competition"
Müjdat Kemer emphasized that the sector's labor-intensive and low-tech structure limits value-added production. Pointing out that artificial intelligence offers significant opportunities in design, efficiency and differentiation, Kemer stressed that technology needs to be used more effectively for sustainable competition.

"Data-driven approaches could create a breakthrough"
Dr. Can Güvenir stated that they aimed to make concrete the impact of artificial intelligence on business processes and organizational structures. Noting that the workshop addressed the entire chain from concept development to production, Güvenir said that data-driven integration holds strong breakthrough potential for the sector.

Through the program, the goal is to manage the process from idea to production in a holistic manner across the furniture sector and to contribute to the export target of USD 6 billion.