Lai sets goal of cultivating 500,000 'AI professionals' by 2040

Taipei, Jan. 10 (CNA) President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) said Saturday the government has set a goal of cultivating 500,000 "artificial intelligence professionals" by 2040 and plans to inject NT$100 billion (US$31.6 billion) into a venture capital fund to achieve this.

Addressing the 2026 AI talent forum in Taipei, Lai noted that the government unveiled its new 10-year AI development initiatives last year.

The initiatives include the establishment of a national computing center and the development of critical technologies, such as silicon photonics, quantum computing and robotics, Lai said.

Lai said national competitiveness would increasingly depend not only on advanced chipmaking capabilities, but also on the ability of citizens across disciplines to use AI effectively.

To this end, the government is rolling out AI training courses for the public sector and encouraging civil servants and students to acquire AI skills, Lai said.

The president said AI has become an important opportunity for Taiwan to achieve economic transformation through cooperation between government, industry and academia.

With a larger AI talent pool, the government aims to help small and medium-sized enterprises accelerate digital upgrades and boost competitiveness, Lai added.