Armenia, through Firebird.ai, in collaboration with NVIDIA and the Armenian government, has launched a $500 million AI data factory project, marking a significant step toward becoming a technology hub in the South Caucasus. For Türkiye and Azerbaijan, this initiative is notable due to its financing by Noubar Afeyan and Ruben Vardanyan, who are figures known for leveraging World War I events against Türkiye. Afeyan’s financial and strategic support, alongside Vardanyan’s assertive regional activities, aims to position Armenia as a regional AI leader. This development requires careful scrutiny of Turkish foreign policy, considering regional power dynamics, technological competition, and Armenia-Azerbaijan relations. Then what are the project’s implications, Afeyan and Vardanyan’s diaspora-driven roles, their impact on Türkiye’s interests and potential Turkish responses?
Roles of Afeyan, Vardanyan
Set to launch in 2026, Armenia’s AI data factory could reshape the South Caucasus’ technological and geopolitical landscape. According to a June 12, 2025, JAMnews article, the $500 million project will utilize NVIDIA’s Blackwell GPUs to create a 100-megawatt infrastructure, positioning Armenia as a “regional technology hub.” Led by Firebird.ai, with government and NVIDIA partnership, the initiative is backed by Afeyan’s Afeyan Foundation and Vardanyan’s diaspora networks, which bolster Armenia’s technological ambitions.
Noubar Afeyan, co-founder of Moderna and CEO of Flagship Pioneering, is a global leader in biotechnology with deep ties to the Armenian diaspora, shaped by his birth in Lebanon and his familial heritage linked to World War I events in Anatolia. His engagement with the diaspora is evident through several initiatives, including the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative, established in 2015 with Vardanyan and Vartan Gregorian, which advances the distortion of historical narratives related to World War I events on a global scale. The Aurora Awards have become a tool for the diaspora’s manipulation of World War I-related historical narratives. Additionally, the IDeA Foundation and UWC Dilijan channel diaspora resources into Armenia’s economic and educational development, with UWC Dilijan fostering “cultural ties” for diaspora youth. Afeyan also leads Firebird.ai as a strategic advisor and co-founder, with the Afeyan Foundation as the primary investor, exemplifying diaspora support for Armenia’s technological ambitions. His anti-Türkiye activities manifest through cultural and humanitarian projects, indirectly supporting the U.S. recognition of World War I-related claims in 2021 via Aurora and 100 LIVES.
Ruben Vardanyan, a Russian-Armenian billionaire and founder of Troika Dialog, briefly served as the leader of the Armenian separatists in Karabakh in the disputed administration in Karabakh from 2022 to 2023, and his detention in Azerbaijan since 2023 has become a significant issue for the Armenian diaspora. His contributions to diaspora activities include co-founding the IDeA Foundation and Aurora with Afeyan, initiatives that mobilize diaspora resources for Armenia’s development while advancing the distortion of historical narratives related to World War I events. Vardanyan’s role in Karabakh, driven by diaspora provocations leveraging World War I narratives, led to his capture in the Lachin corridor in 2023. Together, Afeyan and Vardanyan harness diaspora networks to support Armenia’s growth and advance the distortion of historical claims related to World War I. Aurora consolidates diaspora donors around these narratives, while the IDeA Foundation and UWC Dilijan focus on “identity construction” for diaspora youth in Armenia. Firebird.ai, as an extension of their shared vision, channels diaspora capital into positioning Armenia as a contender in the global AI race.
From the perspective of Turkish foreign policy, the Firebird.ai project could intensify technological competition in the South Caucasus. According to JAMnews, the project has the potential to “fundamentally transform the region’s technological landscape,” posing a challenge to Azerbaijan’s energy-focused economy. Strengthened by its victory in the 2020 Karabakh War, Azerbaijan must now prioritize technological advancements, having already initiated digital transformation efforts. Türkiye, as Azerbaijan’s key ally, is accelerating its own investments in AI and data centers. Armenia’s partnership with NVIDIA necessitates a recalibration of Türkiye’s regional technological leadership goals, which could be achieved through enhanced technological cooperation with Azerbaijan to maintain a competitive edge in the region.
The Firebird.ai project intersects with the Azerbaijan-Armenia peace talks. Afeyan’s calls for Vardanyan’s release, framing him as a “prisoner” rather than a war criminal, reflect a pro-Armenian bias and highlight the project’s political dimensions. His appeal to Donald Trump could signal increased U.S. involvement in the peace process. Türkiye, supporting Azerbaijan, plays a constructive role in negotiations to ensure regional stability. The diaspora networks of Afeyan and Vardanyan bolster Armenia’s tech initiatives while their lobbying on World War I events pressures Türkiye historically.
Competition at various levels
Firebird.ai’s 100-megawatt infrastructure and NVIDIA GPUs could position Armenia in the global AI market. AI Consultant Melih Özbek notes the project’s incentives for companies, offering cost-effective AI model training. Compared to xAI’s Colossus supercomputer (200,000 NVIDIA GPUs, 150 MW, $8 billion), Firebird.ai’s $500 million project is regionally focused, aiming to boost local employment and Armenia’s tech ecosystem through a public-private partnership. Colossus, reinforcing U.S. AI dominance, dwarfs Firebird.ai in scale, but Armenia’s initiative remains transformative for the South Caucasus, fostering regional stability and economic diversification.
Ethically, Firebird.ai’s project must be assessed amid AI’s manipulative potential, as seen in the University of Zurich’s controversial Reddit study. The study, using 34 fake accounts to analyze user demographics without consent, violated Reddit rules and raised ethical concerns about data misuse. This underscores AI’s risk of distorting sensitive historical narratives, such as World War I events, critical to Armenia’s identity. Firebird.ai must prioritize transparency and ethical standards to avoid misinformation risks that could impact Armenia’s geopolitical position and global perceptions of its historical narratives.
Türkiye should respond by aligning with regional strategies. Accelerating data center investments in Istanbul and Ankara, modeled on Georgia’s low-cost energy tariffs for cryptocurrency mining, is critical. Strengthening T3AI, developed by the T3 Foundation, and enhancing its visibility are essential. Joint technology projects with Azerbaijan can bolster the regional tech sector. Türkiye’s “Sectoral Adaptation Project Call for the Turkish Large Language Model,” announced on June 16, 2025, by Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacır, offers up to 50 million TRY in grants to enhance Turkish AI capabilities and position Türkiye as a digital era leader.
Afeyan and Vardanyan’s Aurora and 100 LIVES projects promote World War I claims as a global humanitarian issue, potentially amplified by Firebird.ai’s success, strengthening anti-Türkiye lobbying. The Firebird.ai project, shaped by their diaspora networks, could establish Armenia as a South Caucasus tech hub. Türkiye must counter this by accelerating tech investments, deepening Azerbaijan cooperation, and leveraging diplomacy to maintain regional balance. The instrumentalization of World War I claims by Afeyan and Vardanyan through initiatives like Aurora strengthens anti-Türkiye lobbying, posing a direct challenge to Türkiye’s diplomatic efforts to counter historical misrepresentations.
