Taiwan could play a significant role in the development of robots, given the country’s strengths in chip manufacturing and software design, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) said on Monday.
It is perhaps debatable whether Taiwan excels at software design, but its prowess in chip manufacturing is a globally acknowledged fact. Taiwan produces more than 60 percent of the world’s semiconductors, with TSMC leading the industry and producing chips for major companies, including Apple and Nvidia.
In his speech on Monday at the National Science and Technology Conference in Taipei, Wei said “a rich guy” — believed to be Tesla CEO Elon Musk — told him that he would focus on robots in the future. The man told Wei that chip availability is his biggest concern about those plans, which Wei dismissed as a problem easily solved by money.
Those comments are the biggest takeaway from Wei’s speech, which gets to the crux of the matter: Taiwan should seek partnerships that leverage its strengths to give it the greatest advantage amid changing trends in technology.
Companies such as Tesla, Nvidia, OpenAI and Google excel at the development of software that employs deep learning, but they need chips. Artificial intelligence (AI) systems comprise specific, interdependent hardware and software components.
Wei is right to be thinking about the industry’s future. As the adage goes, in business you innovate or die. TSMC cannot survive in a vacuum, expecting orders for chips to keep rolling in indefinitely. Besides, there are two very good reasons for TSMC — and Taiwan — to get behind AI and robotics: the population crisis and the looming threat of war.
Fortunately, the government has demonstrated acknowledgement of the importance of AI, and has already begun investing in it. President William Lai (賴清德), who was present at Monday’s event, said that NT$196.5 billion (US$6.01 billion) would be budgeted for developments in science and technology. The Executive Yuan’s Economic Development Commission would invest in 140 major infrastructure projects, of which 100 have already commenced, he added.
The Ministry of National Defense has been investing heavily in drones, which Wei also acknowledged as an important segment to focus on, and those drones would also rely on autonomous AI-powered systems. Robots might factor into future conflicts, too, particularly for use in frontline battles, where they could integrate with drones in the air and engage the enemy while keeping soldiers out of harm’s way.
However, while war is not inevitable, aging is, and that is one area where robots could be tremendously helpful. For example, in Japan roughly 10 percent of nursing homes have already acquired some type of robotic device to help with basic tasks. Although such devices are still expensive and require maintenance, they would only become less costly and more efficient over time. Japan has also already tested the use of AI in drug design, and robotics have been used in surgery for 24 years now, thanks to the da Vinci Surgical System.
Taiwan is certainly capable of building the chips to power AI and robotics systems, but has much room for progress on the software side of things.
TSMC and other major chipmakers in Taiwan should look at options for cooperation with those US companies, either through partnerships on software development, promotion of an AI research hub in Taiwan or other mutually beneficial forms of exchange. The government could also consider investing some of the funds budgeted for science and technology into bolstering computer science programs at National Taiwan University and other public schools.
Taiwan can excel in AI and robotics, but it must bolster software development in the nation, bringing it in line with Taiwan’s prowess in chip manufacturing.
The gutting of Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Asia (RFA) by US President Donald Trump’s administration poses a serious threat to the global voice of freedom, particularly for those living under authoritarian regimes such as China. The US — hailed as the model of liberal democracy — has the moral responsibility to uphold the values it champions. In undermining these institutions, the US risks diminishing its “soft power,” a pivotal pillar of its global influence. VOA Tibetan and RFA Tibetan played an enormous role in promoting the strong image of the US in and outside Tibet. On VOA Tibetan,
Sung Chien-liang (宋建樑), the leader of the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) efforts to recall Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lee Kun-cheng (李坤城), caused a national outrage and drew diplomatic condemnation on Tuesday after he arrived at the New Taipei City District Prosecutors’ Office dressed in a Nazi uniform. Sung performed a Nazi salute and carried a copy of Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf as he arrived to be questioned over allegations of signature forgery in the recall petition. The KMT’s response to the incident has shown a striking lack of contrition and decency. Rather than apologizing and distancing itself from Sung’s actions,
US President Trump weighed into the state of America’s semiconductor manufacturing when he declared, “They [Taiwan] stole it from us. They took it from us, and I don’t blame them. I give them credit.” At a prior White House event President Trump hosted TSMC chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家), head of the world’s largest and most advanced chip manufacturer, to announce a commitment to invest US$100 billion in America. The president then shifted his previously critical rhetoric on Taiwan and put off tariffs on its chips. Now we learn that the Trump Administration is conducting a “trade investigation” on semiconductors which
By now, most of Taiwan has heard Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an’s (蔣萬安) threats to initiate a vote of no confidence against the Cabinet. His rationale is that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)-led government’s investigation into alleged signature forgery in the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) recall campaign constitutes “political persecution.” I sincerely hope he goes through with it. The opposition currently holds a majority in the Legislative Yuan, so the initiation of a no-confidence motion and its passage should be entirely within reach. If Chiang truly believes that the government is overreaching, abusing its power and targeting political opponents — then
RSS