Taiwan’s artificial intelligence of things (AIoT) market might have exceeded NT$1.47 trillion (US$51.7 billion) last year and is set for fast growth this year and beyond, as 5G and other new technologies take off, National Development Council Minister Kung Ming-hsin (龔明鑫) said yesterday.
“AIoT businesses should have surpassed NT$1.47 trillion last year, growing rapidly after hitting NT$1 trillion in 2018,” Kung told an AIoT forum in Taipei to underscore the government’s support for the industry.
The government in September 2016 set up an Asian Silicon Valley Development Agency as part of an attempt to build Taiwan into a regional technology hub, Kung said.
Photo courtesy of Asia Silicon Valley Development Agency
The endeavor highlights the promotion of an AIoT platform, and the establishment of a friendly and creative ecosystem, he said.
The Asian Silicon Valley project is entering its second stage this year, allowing AIoT deployments to bear fruit with help from 5G infrastructure, Kung said.
The government would lend support by channeling funds into the realization of smart living, he said.
Toward that goal, about NT$95 billion from the Forward-looking Infrastructure Development Program would be used to build digital households and another NT$49 billion on improving 5G infrastructure, Kung said.
Related businesses — such as 5G and AI solutions — are huge and ready to begin exports once the COVID-19 pandemic comes under control, likely in the second half of this year, he said.
Council Deputy Minister Kao Shien-quey (高仙桂) shared the optimistic sentiment, saying that international technology giants Alphabet Inc, Microsoft Corp, Amazon Web Services and Cisco Systems Inc have set up innovation or research and development facilities in Taiwan.
To help local firms, the council on Monday approved a NT$600 billion budget plan to fund public construction projects this year.
Part of the funding, NT$27.26 billion, would be used to expand and renovate factories in the Hsinchu Science Park (新竹科學園區), expanding their floor space from 53,702m2 to 366,004m2 so that they can house 196 units, from the current 88 units, the council said.
The renewal project would not need to evacuate tenants or disrupt their operations, it said.
The council also approved plans to expand the export zone in Pingtung County to meet the needs of companies returning from abroad.
The expansion project would add 26.7 hectares to the zone and create 790 jobs, it said.
In addition, the council approved a dredging project for the Zengwen Reservoir (曾文水庫) in Chiayi County to ensure stable and sufficient water supply in southern Taiwan, it said.
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