Artificial intelligence (AI) applications would thrive “explosively” in 2022, Minister of Science and Technology Chen Liang-gee (陳良基) said yesterday.
Chen was speaking at a news conference at National Taiwan University (NTU) in Taipei, at which the ministry announced the official start of an AI innovation research center program.
The ministry has budgeted NT$5 billion (US$166.8 million) for the five-year program and has selected four universities as subsidiary research centers: NTU, National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) in Tainan, and National Tsing Hua University (NTHU) and National Chiao Tung University (NCTU) in Hsinchu, Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Hsu Yu-chin (許有進) said.
NTU is to focus on core AI technologies and the application of AI in biotechnology and medicine; NCKU is also to concentrate on biotechnology and medicine; NTHU is to focus on “smart” manufacturing and NCTU is to capitalize on “smart” services, Hsu added.
Asked whether the program could facilitate the Cabinet’s goal of ending sales of scooters and cars powered by fossil fuels by 2035 and 2040, Chen said that it offered great opportunities to electric car and autonomous vehicle developers.
People will soon purchase vehicles mainly for their AI functionality rather than based on appearance or brand names, Chen said, adding that electric scooter maker Gogoro Inc is already using its products to collect data.
The five-year program includes an exit clause, Chen said, adding that the ministry would withdraw funding from centers that fail to perform.
The ministry would evaluate the centers’ achievements each year, he said.
Although the program represents the government’s most concerted effort yet to promote AI, its budget is relatively meager compared with other countries’ investments, Chen said.
“Nonetheless, we hope that one day, when the global community refers to AI, it will immediately think of Taiwan,” Chen said, urging recipients to work harder to magnify the nation’s leverage in the AI domain by networking with local and overseas partners.
Established academics should give younger researchers more opportunities to prove themselves, so that they can envision a future, Chen said.
Since late June, when the ministry started receiving applications for funding, it has approved 67 research projects, 21 of which are in the fields of biotechnology and medicine, Hsu said.
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