A new government policy dubbed the “Taiwan Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Plan 2.0” aims to increase the value of the nation’s AI industry to more than NT$250 billion (US$8.16 billion), the Executive Yuan’s Office of Science and Technology Policy said yesterday.
The policy is a continuation of the four-year “Taiwan AI Action Plan” approved in 2018, which received NT$40 billion in funding to train 33,000 people in AI-related industries and contributed to more than 48.7 percent of corporations deploying AI solutions, the office said.
The initial policy, which ran through 2021, sought to establish Taiwan as a hub of international AI innovation, and oversaw Google in 2018 announcing its Smart Taiwan Initiative, as well as Microsoft’s establishment of a research and development (R&D) center in Taiwan in 2018, the office said.
Photo: REUTERS
US company Synopsys in 2020 established an AI design center in Hsinchu, it said.
The new plan, which would run from this year through 2026, would focus on fostering talent, industry development, enhancing work environments and increasing technological clout in overseas markets, the office said.
The project would go hand in hand with the “five plus two” innovative industries policy and the Forward-looking Infrastructure Development Program, the Executive Yuan said.
The “five plus two” innovative industries refer to the “Asian Silicon Valley,” biomedical technology, green energy, robotics, defense and aviation, innovative agriculture and a circular economy.
The office said that the latest plan would examine how AI affects society, such as how jobs are changing, to better inform the government to address possible policy changes.
The government hopes to use AI technology to resolve labor shortages, address issues such as a hyper-aging society and achieve goals such as net zero greenhouse gas emissions, it said.
The Ministry of Digital Affairs would establish an AI evaluation center, which, alongside draft acts for AI regulation, would provide a legislative bases for AI usage, the office said, adding that more laws would be drafted as AI technology is implemented in other fields, such as medicine, finance and transportation.
Cross-agency meetings are being held to discuss AI-generated content and AI-related ethics, the Executive Yuan said, adding that it would present a draft AI basic act in September.
Among the issues being discussed include AI-generated content for television, that would have to abide by regulations under the Radio and Television Act (廣播電視法), the Cable Radio and Television Act (有線廣播電視法) and the Satellite Broadcasting Act (衛星廣播電視法), the office said.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old