From Code to Cognition: Interview with Zafer Demirkol

What is AI? Will it open new doors? These are the kinds of questions we explored in a recent conversation with a seasoned software expert, whose journey through programming, web development, and artificial intelligence spans decades and whose passion for learning remains as strong as ever.

It All Started With Curiosity and Code

From the age of 14, Zafer Demirkol was writing programs on primitive machines long before most households had internet access. “I was always curious,” he recalls. “How do computers work? How are programs made?” His early passion became a lifelong pursuit.

Although his initial career wasn't in programming, working instead in electronics and security, the passion never faded. “Even in unrelated jobs, I kept writing software tools. It was just something I loved.”

Adapting to Every Technological Wave

The Internet was a turning point. He became fascinated by web development, eventually spending time in Australia, where he worked on web-based projects. Upon returning to Turkey, he started writing technical books 12 to date covering everything from web development to AI.

When smartphones emerged, he shifted focus again, diving into mobile app development. And when AI started to gain global attention, he followed suit. “If you know how to program, you can understand AI better. That’s what drew me in.”

He now runs an AI-focused company, provides corporate and university-level training, and gives seminars to help others keep pace with the rapid technological shifts.

AI: Threat or Opportunity?

“Let’s be clear,” he says. “Every technology has risks. Nuclear energy can light up a city or destroy it.” AI is no different. But he’s optimistic: “AI will remain under human control for a long time, maybe thousands of years. The key is to act smart and responsible.”

The real danger, he argues, isn’t AI itself, but our failure to adapt to it. “Instead of fearing job loss, we should learn how to use these tools in our professions, whether we’re doctors, lawyers, or artists. That’s the future.”

Education Needs to Catch Up

He emphasizes the need for institutions, especially schools and universities, to update their curricula. “Even places like MIT and Harvard are struggling to adapt,” he notes. “They’re asking, how do we prepare students for this AI revolution?”

In Turkey, he sees promise in the country’s still-young population. “Our students are curious. That gives us an edge. But we need more structured, accessible education on these topics.”

What About Programmers? Is AI Replacing Them?

One of the most ironic impacts of AI is that the very field that birthed it, programming, is also among the first to be transformed by it.

“AI helps automate repetitive coding tasks. We used to call them ‘grunt work,’  now AI does that. But the core architecture, the logic, the creative thinking that’s still ours. It always will be.”

He’s clear that programming isn’t dying; it’s evolving. “One person can now do the work of ten, thanks to AI tools. But understanding systems and logic is still essential.”

He compares AI to a calculator: “Just because we have calculators doesn’t mean we stopped learning math.”

A Book for Everyone: Don't Fear, Learn

His recent book, AI for Everyone, is built on one message: Don’t be afraid to understand it.

He wrote the book to explain complex AI concepts to anyone, even high school students, without overwhelming technical detail. “People fear what they don’t understand. My goal was to demystify AI and help people feel confident exploring it.”

The response exceeded expectations. “I was surprised by how well it sold,” he admits. “People needed something approachable.”

The Three Traits of a Great Programmer

When asked what makes a good developer in the age of AI, his answer is simple but powerful:

1. Curiosity

2. Patience

3. The ability to self-learn

These traits, he believes, are more important than ever in programming and beyond.

Creativity, Learning & AI: A New Relationship

As our discussion deepened, we turned to the impact of AI on human creativity. Does AI reduce individual originality, or does it spark new ideas?

“It depends on how we use it,” he says. “The internet gave everyone equal access to knowledge. Some people used it to play games, others to learn.” The same is true for AI. Tools like ChatGPT can either become crutches or catalysts depending on the user.

He’s clear that large language models like GPT are not truly creative. “They remix existing data. But human creativity brings something new into the world. That will only grow in value.”

He believes four key skills will shape the careers of the future:

1. Analytical and synthetic thinking — not just analyzing but combining ideas meaningfully.

2. Human creativity — the kind AI can’t replicate.

3. Collaboration — especially across cultures, using tools like GitHub, version control, and soft skills.

4. Self-directed learning — the ability to learn without needing a teacher in the room.

   
   

“These are the foundations for future careers, even ones we haven’t imagined yet,” he says, pointing to the rise of entirely new fields like prompt engineering, a term that didn’t even exist a few years ago.

The Ethics of AI and the Transparency Gap

Naturally, any conversation about AI today must touch on ethics, especially when it comes to data usage and licensing. “The biggest ethical issue right now is with big companies using massive datasets without proper consent,” he explains.

He shared frustrations over how books, including his own, can be scraped for training data without any compensation or acknowledgment. “It’s like someone using my work for free  and that’s not right.”

Transparency is sorely lacking. While companies claim to value privacy and data ethics, it’s often just PR. “These are open questions with no global consensus yet,” he says. “But they need to be addressed, especially by the major players.

Will AI Feel Emotions? And Where Is It Headed?

What about emotional intelligence? Could AI ever truly understand or feel?

“Not,” he states. “Not for a thousand, maybe two thousand years, if ever.”

Today’s AI, no matter how advanced, is narrow AI—focused, specialized, and lacking awareness. It can simulate emotional responses, but it doesn’t feel. “We have empathy, compassion, and morality. AI doesn’t and won’t. And that’s why we’ll always remain in control.”

He draws a powerful line between intelligence and wisdom: “We say ‘be smart,’ but more often, we say ‘be wise.’ Because being wise includes emotion, ethics, and judgment, things AI can’t do.”

In the near term, he’s confident about where AI is going: “LLM development will explode. Companies are already hunting for talent in that space. But the long-term? Nobody can predict that, and anyone who says they can is wrong.”

Fear vs. Preparedness: The Real Divide

We ended with a sobering but hopeful reminder: most people aren’t afraid of what is, but what might be.

“Fear is a response to something real. Anxiety is fear of something that doesn’t exist yet.” And much of the panic about AI, he argues, is the latter fueled by dramatic media narratives and social misinformation.

“Don’t believe everything you see in clickbait headlines. Ask real engineers. Talk to people in the field. We’re not afraid  we’re building the future.”

Final Thoughts: Learn, Don’t Fear

What emerged from this rich, multi-layered conversation was not just insight into AI, but a philosophy of growth in a rapidly changing world.

“If you’re curious, patient, and willing to learn independently,  you’ll thrive.”

The key takeaway is not just technical: it’s deeply human. AI may be powerful, but it’s still a tool that works best in the hands of ethical, creative, and thoughtful people.

So instead of fearing what’s next, it’s time to ask a better question: How will I shape what’s next?