Multifunctional service robots could be the next new area in which Taiwan could play a significant role, given its strengths in chip manufacturing and software design, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) chairman and chief executive C.C. Wei (魏哲家) said yesterday.
“In the past two months, our customers shared a lot of their future plans with me. Artificial intelligence [AI] and AI applications were the most talked about subjects in our conversation,” Wei said in a speech at the National Science and Technology Conference in Taipei.
TSMC, the world’s biggest contract chipmaker, counts Nvidia Corp, Advanced Micro Devices Inc, Apple Inc and Tesla Inc among its clients.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
“In my opinion, we [Taiwan] can harness our strength in the AI area. We have good chip design houses capable of designing all sorts of products. We have good technologies in chip manufacturing, chip packaging and data center production, allowing us to play a central role in the AI sector,” he said.
Among AI applications, versatile service robots would be the next trend, Wei said, based on information TSMC has gleaned from its customers.
“I just talked to the world’s richest guy the other day. He told me [developing] versatile robots is the direction he is striving toward, not cars,” he said. “I asked him what worries him the most about developing such robots; he said lack of chip supply would be his biggest concern.”
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
Wei said he jokingly told the billionaire that chip supply should not be a problem as long as he pays.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk is widely considered to be the person Wei referred to in his speech, as the electric vehicle maker has showcased its Tesla robot, Optimus, months ago and plans “low production” of the humanoid robots for internal use next year, before stepping up high-volume production for external companies in 2026.
Wei identified versatile service robots as the next new business opportunity for Taiwan, as such robots require good AI chips, software and precision machinery for production.
That would be a field in which Taiwan can play a vital role given its technology talent pool and industrial environment, he said.
Drones is another segment that Taiwan can focus on, Wei advised the National Science and Technology Council.
Taiwanese software developers and precision machinery manufacturers should allocate as much resources as possible to this area, as drones can be applied to a wide range of services, from measurement to transporting goods and even humans, he added.
In his opening speech, President William Lai (賴清德) told the conference that he hoped science and technology could lead the charge in facing the rise of AI and geopolitical challenges.
Lai said the Executive Yuan’s Economic Development Commission last week approved six flagship regional projects to build railroads, improve healthcare, expand cultural tourism and build housing in the hopes of better integrating science and technology into daily life.
Next year’s science and technology budget is set at NT$196.5 billion (US$6.05 billion), NT$7.7 billion more than last year, he said, adding that he hoped the increased budget would make Taiwan a world leader in technology.
The commission plans to invest in 140 major infrastructure projects, of which 100 have already commenced, Lai said.
Drafting of national policy relies on the experience of industry and academic experts paired with technology, so discussions held at this week’s conference would be critical in future policymaking across government bodies, he said.
The conference is key to creating the nation’s blueprint for science and technology, and setting mid to long-term development goals, Cabinet members and National Science and Technology Council Minister Wu Cheng-wen (吳誠文) said.
This year’s conference differs in its forward-thinking, balanced and people-focused approach to enhancing future research-and-development projects, Wu said.
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