Taiwan's defense ministry establishes AI office

Taipei, Nov. 6 (CNA) Taiwan's defense ministry has established an artificial intelligence (AI) office to explore the emerging technology's potential military applications, a senior military official said Thursday.

Lt. Gen. Huang Wen-chi (黃文啓), director of the Ministry of National Defense's (MND) Department of Strategic Planning, told a legislative session that the office was officially listed under the MND headquarters in Taipei on Oct. 1.

Currently, the office mainly promotes the integration of AI into image and video detection, computer security, and anti-hacking, the two-star general said.

However, Huang cautioned that the extent AI will be used for military purposes, including combat, will depend on the technology's maturity and development.

Fielding questions during the same session, Defense Minister Wellington Koo (顧立雄) said the office was currently operating on a trial basis, primarily serving as a platform to coordinate the AI needs of different MND units.

The ministry currently has no timetable on when the trial run will conclude and the office will become fully functional, Koo added.