Zero-to-AI Learning Roadmap 2026: 12-Month Detailed Turkish Roadmap

## 1. Target 12-month roadmap. End state: junior AI/ML/DS engineer in Turkey (₺70-100K monthly net) or freelance/remote. ## 2. Month-by-Month - **Month 1-2:** Python + Math (linear algebra, probability, calculus) - **Month 3-4:** Classic ML (scikit-learn, XGBoost, first Kaggle) - **Month 5-6:** Deep Learning (PyTorch, CNN, transformers, fast.ai) - **Month 7-8:** LLM + RAG + Agentic (LangChain, Pinecone, Karpathy) - **Month 9-10:** Production (Docker, FastAPI, AWS/GCP, MLflow) - **Month 11-12:** Specialize + Job search ## 3. Portfolio Requirements 5-10 quality GitHub projects covering: pandas analysis, ML classifier, Kaggle medal, NLP (Turkish), Computer Vision, RAG chatbot, multi-agent, production-deployed ML API, full-stack AI app. ## 4. Budget - Standard: $500-700 (Coursera Plus + books + certifications) - Free: $0 (BTK Akademi, YouTube, fast.ai, Karpathy) ## 5. Turkish Resources BTK Akademi (free Turkish content), Yapay Zeka Türkiye Discord, Veri Bilimi Türkiye, Boğaziçi/METU summer schools, Türk LLM models (Trendyol, Turkcell). ## 6. Certifications DeepLearning.AI ML/DL Specializations, Hugging Face Certified ML Engineer, AWS AI Practitioner, Google ML Engineer (premium). ## 7. Job Search (Month 12) GitHub optimization, LinkedIn, 50 target companies (Trendyol, Getir, banks, fintech, remote EU/US), referrals, cold outreach. ## 8. Conclusion 12 months + 2-3 hours/day is sufficient for entering the AI/ML field. Strong portfolio + LinkedIn presence + Turkish AI community involvement key. Specialization in Turkish NLP, agentic systems, or computer vision provides premium positioning.