Taiwan aims to create NT$15 trillion (US$474.8 billion) in production value by 2040 through the 10 major artificial intelligence (AI) projects launched last year, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday at a meeting with the winners of the Asia-Pacific ICT Alliance (APICTA) Awards.
The APICTA Awards, which were again held in Taiwan in December after nine years, are widely regarded as the Oscars of the information and communications technology (ICT) sector in the Asia-Pacific region, Lai said at the Presidential Office in Taipei.
The competition attracted 256 entries from 13 Indo-Pacific economies, with Team Taiwan collecting a record 10 golds, eight silvers and six bronzes, he said.
Photo: Screen grab from the Presidential Office’s Flickr page
The Taiwanese team participated in the consumer, inclusions and community services, industrial, business services, public sector and government, and student categories, demonstrating the participants’ commitment to research and development and robust achievements in ICT development and innovation on the global stage, he said.
AI changes the world “in the present continuous tense rather than in the future tense,” and Taiwan must accelerate its pace and plan ahead to ensure that the younger generation remain globally competitive, he said.
The government launched the 10 major AI projects last year with a projected investment of NT$1.5 trillion, the president said.
The investment is expected to support 500,000 people specializing in AI applications and create NT$15 trillion in output by 2040, he added.
The government is also planning to develop three other critical technologies — quantum technology, silicon photonics and robotics — to bolster Taiwan’s competitiveness in the long run, Lai said.
Efforts would be made to promote progress in computing power, data, talent, marketing and funding, thereby building inclusive, forward-looking technological environments in line with the goal of creating an “innovative economy, smart nation,” he said.
The real value of technology lies in solving problems and improving people’s lives, Lai said.
The government will continue to develop vibrant, inclusive AI innovative ecosystems that benefit all people, he said.
AI would become the engine of upgrading and transformation across micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, meaning not a single industry, company or group of people would be left out of the transition to AI, he added.
Each contestant represents a fresh force that is transforming Taiwan into a “smart nation,” he said.
The competition is expected to help initiate more exchanges and cooperation with Indo-Pacific partners to expand Taiwan’s international influence, he said, adding that he expected more students, industry players and innovation teams to capitalize on it.
That would create a better, smarter and more inclusive digital future not only for Taiwan, but also for the Indo-Pacific region as well, he added.
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