Taiwan to carry on AI-based development in industries: NSTC head

Taipei, May 22 (CNA) The National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) will present a plan to innovate IC applications and artificial intelligence (AI) use in industries and social services to advance Taiwan's technical edge, the new head of the council said Wednesday.

The council will execute the Taiwan Chip-based Industrial Innovation Program, a vision crafted by the last administration which calls for the leveraging of Taiwan's IC industry, to apply AI to all industries, including traditional ones, NSTC head Wu Cheng-wen (吳誠文) said at a press event.

"An example is our machine tool industry, which can be assisted and transformed into smart machinery, by incorporating AI and information and communication technologies," he said.

It will definitely be an uphill battle, "so we need cross-industry and cross-domain cooperation," including education, he stressed.

Transforming traditional industries and services with new technologies also has the potential to solve Taiwan's labor shortage and ensure balanced regional development, Wu added.

With regard to the existing technological advances that Taiwan has secured, the government will continue to provide assistance, he said, responding to a question about the world's largest contract chipmaker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company's (TSMC) need to stay ahead of competitors.

On the other hand, Wu underlined the development of space technology, as low-earth orbit satellites can not only be used for commercial communication, "but also have a role to play in terms of national security."

Lin Faa-jeng (林法正), a new deputy head at the council and an electric engineering expert with experience in smart grid development, said the NSTC and Ministry of Economic Affairs will also draw up plans to promote household energy management systems.

"Future electricity system will be based on renewable energy, and there will be a diversity of energy generating, storing, charging systems and equipment connecting to the grid... devices for energy conversion will become the key," he said.

Power semiconductors will then play a crucial role, Lin added, saying while Taiwan has not paid much attention to this area, it could be a direction for semiconductor development.

With a background in information engineering and innovation, Chen Bing-yu (陳炳宇) -- another new deputy head at the council -- is tasked with AI development.

He told the media that a draft version of a law governing the use of AI in Taiwan is likely to be proposed by the end of the year.