TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) announced on Wednesday (Aug. 7) a significant 14.9% increase in Taiwan's technology budget, aiming to position the nation as a leading exporter of AI solutions.
Cho made this announcement during a conference co-organized by the Directorate-General of Personnel Administration (人事總處), the Ministry of Digital Affairs (數發部), and the Taiwan AI Academy (台灣人工智慧學校).
The premier encouraged officials to enhance their AI literacy to improve public service quality. He detailed that next year's total budget would see substantial growth, with over NT$17 billion allocated for semiconductors, around NT$10 billion for AI, and another NT$10 billion for the space communication industry.
He expressed Taiwan's ambition to transition from a tech manufacturing giant to an AI solutions exporter. "This is our grand ambition," Cho stated. He noted that under President Lai Ching-te's (賴清德) leadership, the government is strategically positioning AI policies, regulations, and execution, with the Executive Yuan's Economic Development Committee having already proposed a plan to train 200,000 AI talents over eight years.
In the regulatory sphere, the Artificial Intelligence Basic Act (AI基本法) is currently under review, with the goal of integrating feedback from various sectors. The act aims to establish a fundamental framework for promoting AI development across agencies.
